Peyton Stearns throws up twice during intense victory over Naomi Osaka
American Peyton Stearns battled through illness during her intense three-set victory over Naomi Osaka at the Italian Open in Rome this week, reaching the quarter-finals. Despite the hard-fought win, Stearns was visibly exhausted and threw up on court immediately after the match.
In a dramatic turn of events at the Italian Open in Rome this week, American player Peyton Stearns showcased immense resilience, battling both opponent Naomi Osaka and her own physical illness to secure a hard-fought victory. Stearns emerged victorious from the intense three-set encounter with a score of 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4). This triumph sends the 23-year-old into the quarter-finals of the prestigious WTA 1000 tournament on what is her debut appearance.
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However, the victory was clearly physically taxing. Immediately after winning the final point, Stearns appeared visibly exhausted and was seen steadying herself before bending over and throwing up on court. This was not the first time she had been sick during the clash; she also vomited moments before the decisive final set tie-break but managed to "shake off her illness issue" and hold her nerve to win.
Peyton Stearns threw up immediately after her win over Naomi Osaka.
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 12, 2025
She also threw up before the 3rd set tiebreak.
It took a special kind of effort to get over the line today.
Warrior. 🇺🇸❤️
pic.twitter.com/rCMpCDb4ol
Ranked World No. 42, Stearns had been playing impressively in Rome leading up to this match, having defeated Nuria Brancaccio and Anna Kalinskaya in straight sets. Her impressive run continues as she advances to face fifth seed Madison Keys in the quarter-finals.
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The incident highlights a concerning pattern of ill-health struggles on court for Stearns this year. In February at the Dubai Tennis Championships, she collapsed in a corridor after a lengthy victory. Following rain delays, she was controversially made to play another match just hours later while "clearly struggling," resulting in a heavy defeat.
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Despite these challenges, Stearns' ability to battle through and win against a tough opponent like Osaka while visibly unwell demonstrates remarkable mental fortitude.
