Remarkable moment during Botic van de Zandschulp's Wimbledon match: opponent calls for help

The Dutch top tennis player had just secured a crucial point under pressure when he saw his American opponent across the net preparing for the next rally. But as Van de Zandschulp was about to serve, Kovacevic raised his arm. While wiping his face with a towel, he caught sight of a ball boy sitting on the grass out of the corner of his eye.

The boy in question had his hands over his eyes and appeared to be in pain. Kovacevic, ranked 70th in the world, quickly grasped the seriousness of the situation and called for assistance from the sidelines. The ball boy was escorted off the court, prompting a round of applause from the crowd. For Van de Zandschulp, the interruption came at an inopportune moment, as he was under pressure from the American on his own serve.

After regaining his composure, he still managed to win the seventh game, making it 5-2. This gave Van de Zandschulp a strong start to his Wimbledon campaign. Last year, he reached the second round on the hallowed grass courts of London, a performance he hopes to at least match. He enters the tournament with a new status, as he is officially the highest-ranked Dutch tennis player on the latest ATP rankings. He saw his good friend and colleague Tallon Griekspoor drop in the world rankings.

Follow the latest news on Wimbledon via our tennis page, check out the prize money, consult the TV guide, and read why all players wear white clothing during the third Grand Slam tournament of the year.