Police probe Wimbledon tennis poisoning: report

LONDON: Police in London are investigating allegations that a young tennis player was poisoned while competing at this year’s Wimbledon, a British newspaper reported on Thursday.

Gabriella Taylor, 18, withdrew from the Girls’ Singles competition in July and spent four days in intensive care.

Police are now investigating whether she was deliberately poisoned, The Telegraph newspaper said.

Taylor was reportedly diagnosed with Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection spread by animals. The rare infection typically comes with flu-like symptoms, although in severe cases it can lead to internal bleeding and organ failure.

The player’s mother, Milena Taylor, said in the run-up to the tennis tournament her daughter had been physically well.

“She was full of confidence and was looking forward to getting the title; that was her dream. Everything was going well,” she told The Telegraph.

“She got to the quarter-final, but then the next thing she is lying in intensive care close to death. When the infection team explained what it was we could not believe it.”

Police told AFP they were investigating an allegation of poisoning with intent to endanger life or cause grievous bodily harm, describing the victim only as an 18-year-old woman.