NEWYou can now listen to PK Press Club articles!
French tennis player Arthur Gea abruptly left the court during his first-round match at Roland Garros on Sunday after begging the chair umpire to give him an emergency bathroom break.
The Frenchman, who secured his place at Roland Garros thanks to a wild card, was trailing 4-2 to Russian tennis pro Karen Khachanov in the first set when Gea made a desperate appeal to the chair umpire to go to the toilet.
Frenchman Arthur Gea returns a ball to Russian Karen Khachanov during the first round of the men’s singles at Roland-Garros in Paris on May 24, 2026. (Aurélien Morissard/AP)
“I have to go to the bathroom. I can’t move. I’m going to shit on the fucking field,” Gea said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON PK Press Club
Toilet breaks are usually reserved between sets only. Two officials quickly showed up on the Suzanne-Lenglen court and inquired about the “medical reason” for the timeout.
“Yeah, I’m sick,” Gea replied, before specifying that he was suffering from an attack of “diarrhea”.
A coach appeared to add that Gea was suffering from “stomach problems.”
Frenchman Arthur Gea reacts during the first day of Roland Garros 2026 in Paris on May 24, 2026. (Marleen Fouchier/Agence BSR/Getty Images)
ARYNA SABALENKA CALLS ON PLAYERS TO BOYCOT GRAND SLAMES IF THEY DON’T GET A HIGHER SHARE OF TOURNAMENT REVENUE
His pleas were not enough and the game continued.
As soon as the next point was played, Gea quickly left for the locker room. He said after the match that the referee gave him a break due to “medical circumstances” and that he was given medication to ease his stomach pain.
He explained that he had not felt sick the night before but had started to feel sick in the morning.
Frenchman Arthur Gea returns a ball to Russian Karen Khachanov during the first round of the men’s singles at Roland-Garros in Paris on May 24, 2026. (Aurélien Morissard/AP)
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE PK Press Club APP
Gea suffered an early exit, losing to Khachanov in straight sets.
