The saint of Wimbledon: Jodie Burrage nurses ball boy during first-round defeat

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Tennis365
June 27, 2022

Great Britain’s Jodie Burrage had no hesitation in handing out Percy Pig sweets to a ball boy who had fallen ill during her first-round defeat to Lesia Tsurenko.

The youngster looked unsteady on his feet early in the second set of her 6-2 6-3 loss and the 23-year-old Briton attended to him, offering an energy gel from her bag and a drink.

But when they did not work, she turned to the classic British confectionery which was passed to her by a member of the crowd.

Jodie Burrage (right) helps a ball boy (Steven Paston/PA)

They did the trick as the ball boy, who was led away in a wheelchair after lengthy treatment by paramedics, was later reported to be fully recovered.

Burrage said: “I definitely love a Percy Pig, that’s for sure. I don’t know why. Obviously other people like them as well.

“I was just like, ‘This kid needs sugar’. He wasn’t liking the gel. They’re not the nicest things to have. I was like, ‘Yeah, (you) definitely need something else’.

“Someone just shouted on the side, ‘Got some sweets here if you want’. They were Percy Pigs. Percy Pigs is one of my favourites, I would say. So (I’d) definitely recommend it if I ever happens again.

“He just said he was feeling really faint. He couldn’t actually really talk. It was quite distressing to see.

“I just tried to get him some sugar, gave him a Gatorade and a gel. The gel is not the nicest thing, so they managed to find some Percy Pigs somewhere along the line in the crowd, which he got down and then started to feel better. Hopefully he’s feeling better now.

“To be honest, it didn’t affect me too much. I actually came out, hit a great serve, probably the best serve I hit in that match after that. If anything, it did help me.

“I just reacted how I think anyone would. Yeah, he was not in a good spot. I just tried to help him out as much as possible.

“I’ve fainted a few times. I actually had a panic attack once in juniors here, so I’ve been where he is. I kind of know a little bit how he was feeling. So, yeah, just tried to help as much as I could. Hopefully I did.”

Jodie Burrage