Tennis-Wimbledon-Heat takes toll on fans at Wimbledon

By Pritha Sarkar

LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) - One fan's big day out at Wimbledon ended with a trip to the hospital on a sizzling afternoon at the grasscourt championships on Saturday.

With the temperature soaring above 28 degrees Celsius, 128 people had to be treated at first aid points dotted around the All England Club and one person was taken to hospital, said St John Ambulance.

While players wrapped ice packs around their necks to stay cool during the changeovers, spectators used everything from tickets to programmes to fan themselves with some even fainting under the blazing sun.

Former world number one Jelena Jankovic was among those who struggled to play through the stifling mid-day conditions and had to be repeatedly treated on court during her match against teenage American qualifier Melanie Oudin.

The Serbian blamed the heat and what she called "woman problems" for her third round loss.

"I was like a ghost... I didn't know where I was. I felt really dizzy and I thought that I was going to end up in the hospital. I started to shake. I was losing my consciousness," said the 24-year-old.

Medics said almost all those affected failed to take basic precautions for dealing with the heat, such as not taking in enough fluids, wearing hats, or staying in the shade.

The weather changed later in the day when thunder clouds rolled across southwest London and spots of rain began to fall bringing the temperature down sharply.

(Editing by Ken Ferris, To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)