Australian tennis legend Alicia Molik has heroically stopped her own press conference to help a young girl who collapsed behind her while the cameras were rolling.
Molik was attending the event after being announced as the Adelaide International‘s new tournament director.
The former world number eight was asked a question before she responded to a loud thud behind her as a young player, believed to be in her teens, collapsed.
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Molik was quick to rush to her aid, rolling her onto her side after the girl was lying flat and not moving. She sat with the teenager until paramedics arrived to transfer her to hospital. According to reports the teenager is recovering in hospital.
It was an alarming start to her new job and the 42-year-old will continue to be busy in the lead up to the tournament when it starts on January 8.
Her plan will be to have world number one Novak Djokovic feature, along with Nick Kyrgios.
“It would be brilliant to get Novak back, he’s super human, he’s doing super human things and I know for a fact he has great memories of playing the Adelaide International,” she said.
“Just imagine this roof blowing off if Nick made it too, that’s a phone call I will be making.”
Homegrown talent Thanasi Kokkinakis is confirmed to play in the tournament along with fellow Australian Alexei Popyrin and women’s world number four Elena Rybakina.
Molik believes the tournament will provide the perfect preparation for the Australian Open, which starts on January 14.
“Players aren’t going to need to rush off to Melbourne, they can get their business done here in Adelaide, win the event and then they’ve got a buffer of time between the Australian Open, so that’s a really positive change,” she said.