Ekaterina Alexandrova: Russian tennis player collapses on court in 34C heat.

World No. 19 Ekaterina Alexandrova collapsed on court and had to retire in her first round match at the Memphis Classic due to overheating.

The temperature reached 34C as top seed Alexandrova of Russia defeated 16-year-old compatriot Kristina Liutova 7-6 (7-2) 4-6 5-4.

The match was stopped early as Alexandrova tried to continue, before receiving a time violation for taking too long to serve in the middle of her fight.

But in the middle of the next point, Alexandrova fell to the ground and needed immediate medical attention.

The 31-year-old was good enough to stand up, but lost the match which lasted more than three hours.

Liutova won her first match on the WTA Tour, but the teenager was left in tears on court in a chaotic situation.

In other women’s tennis, Venus Williams lost in the first round of the Mubadala DC Open in Washington, DC.

The 46-year-old’s last singles win was at this event last year, when he beat Austria’s Anastasia Potapova 6-3 6-3.

Williams hit 78.4% of her first serve points, but only 24.1% of her second serve and returned 20%.