Tennis: Bates has tests on his heart

JEREMY BATES, the British No 1, has undergone a series of hospital tests after suffering a heart scare in Australia. Bates revealed his problem after losing 6-1, 6-4 to Neil Barwick in the Australian Indoor Championships in Sydney yesterday.

The 30-year-old from Solihull said he was taken ill during last week's Queensland Open in Brisbane. 'I was awake all night and my heart was pounding,' he said. 'I didn't know what the heck was going on, so I went to the hospital at six in the morning. I was starting to get pretty scared.

'They did all kinds of tests on me and they've discovered a couple of things wrong with me. I get low blood pressure when I stand up and I have a spasm in the neck, so I am having problems swallowing.

'I've seen four physicians and the ECG tests I had done were normal, but I'm still a bit wary.'

The world No 90, who came within one point of reaching the quarter-finals at Wimbledon, added: 'I've done a lot this year and I think it's just my body telling me I have to pack it in a bit.'

The latest setback caps a miserable few weeks for Bates. He suffered dysentry during his honeymoon in Bali in August and was forced to withdraw from last month's Davis Cup defeat with pulled stomach muscles.

'Basically,' he said, 'the whole trip has been a disaster. The Davis Cup defeat in India, last week I couldn't play in Brisbane and this week I'm about 20 per cent fit.'