A night that promised absolute rest turned into a genuine nightmare for Coco Gauff, Alexandra Eala, and Eva Lys, who were caught off guard by a fire alarm that forced the immediate evacuation of the luxurious Waldorf Astoria hotel in Berlin. At 3:45 a.m., the top stars of world tennis were compelled to leave their rooms in pajamas, facing a chaotic scene that quickly went viral on social media.
The unusual incident occurred on the eve of decisive matches in the Berlin tournament, surprising athletes, coaches, and guests of the iconic German hotel. Coco Gauff, who was preparing for her match against Paula Badosa, Alexandra Eala, whose debut against Donna Vekic was scheduled for 11 a.m., and Eva Lys, also in competition, were all caught unprepared by the blaring alarm. With no other option, everyone left the building and waited on the street for the firefighters to arrive, creating unusual images that quickly circulated on social media.
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Eva Lys wasted no time and captured the moment, taking a hilarious photograph where Gauff and Eala showcase their makeshift evacuation outfits in front of a fire truck. The German tennis player shared the snapshot on Instagram with the caption “3 am fire alarm fit check,” a post that was quickly re-shared by her American and Filipino teammates. This share went viral, eliciting laughter from fans and followers who praised the athletes’ sense of humor in the face of adversity.
Despite the scare, it turned out to be a false alarm. According to a hotel spokesperson, “there was no danger at any time. It was a technical alarm,” he clarified, as quoted by the BILD newspaper. The situation was quickly controlled, and a few minutes later, guests were able to return to their rooms. However, the disruption of sleep and the anxiety caused by the evacuation left evident marks, especially considering the importance of the matches scheduled for that day.
The impact of this tumultuous night was particularly felt by Alexandra Eala, who had to step onto the court just a few hours later. Despite the setbacks, the young Filipino displayed remarkable resilience, overcoming Donna Vekic 7-5, 6-4, thus securing her place in the round of 16, where she will face Elena Rybakina. Gauff, for her part, benefited from Amanda Anisimova’s withdrawal and advanced directly to the round of 16, thereby avoiding any additional strain, as her match was scheduled for only 3:30 PM at the Steffi Graf Stadion. Eva Lys, the third protagonist in this episode, would not compete again until Thursday, allowing her to recover from the incident.
In statements to Tennis Channel, Coco Gauff also addressed the recent controversies surrounding her choice of doubles partner. “It feels good, I would love to play alongside her [Serena Williams], but we’ll see,” she said, referring to the former world number one. “I don’t know, if she asks, the answer will be yes.” The American tennis player also recalled her first meeting with Serena as a child, a moment she considers “forever etched” in her memory: “We see someone on television, we think they’re not real, but then we realize that dreams are possible.” Gauff makes it clear that she has never ruled out the possibility of sharing the court with the tennis legend, although the current circumstances and commitments of Serena Williams, particularly her partnership with sister Venus at Wimbledon, make that scenario unlikely in the immediate future.
The incident at the Waldorf Astoria adds an extra dose of drama and unpredictability to the Berlin tournament, testing the adaptability and focus of the leading figures in world tennis. For Gauff, Eala, and Lys, the challenge now is to quickly regain normalcy and concentrate their energies on the upcoming matches, aware that in high-level tennis, even rest can be an unexpectedly interrupted luxury. The anticipation remains high: will Gauff overcome the incident and advance towards the title? Will Eala maintain her moment of triumph? Berlin promises intense emotions until the last point.
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