Heart scare forces Malisse to take break during semi-final

Xavier Malisse overcame a heart scare and a two-set deficit against David Nalbandian here last night to draw level in their semi-final – with the scores at 6-7, 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 – when bad light stopped play at 8.58pm. The match will resume this afternoon, the prize at stake a place in tomorrow's final against Lleyton Hewitt.

The 21-year-old Belgian first called a doctor into service during the fifth game of the match, in late afternoon, ironically after wasting two break points. Despite attention from both the physio and the medic he did not receive any treatment. The Wimbledon doctor, Peter Tudor-Miles, examined him briefly and took his pulse. "He was breathless, dizzy, and generally unwell, having felt fine up to that point," he said.

Malisse played on, and despite appearing listless, went on to break the 20-year-old Nalbandian in the ninth game. The Argentinian immediately responded by breaking back to love. Nalbandian held his nerve in the tie-break, which he won 7-2. His opponent immediately ran from the court to take an extended break in the locker room. Nalbandian waited, nonplussed, on court.

The problem was diagnosed as palpitations caused by nerves. Technically, Malisse's time-out could have led to him being defaulted. A maximum of three minutes is allowed for a medical time-out. Malisse took nine between the first and second sets, five of them lying down to allow him to recover.

Tour officials said there was no time limit for the break because it was for medical evaluation. The rule book allows unlimited time for diagnosis and three minutes for treatment. While Malisse was absent from the court, Nalbandian complained about the delay to the umpire, Pascal Maria of France. His questions about what was happening went unanswered.

When Malisse returned the second set began. After the third game, he sat on his chair and buried his face in his towel, apparently still feeling ill. The set continued until, at 4-2 to Nalbandian and with Malisse 0-15 and serving, it started to rain. It was 6.10pm. Play resumed exactly 90 minutes later, when the second set continued with serve and went to Nalbandian, 6-4.

Malisse, showing no sign of illness, then secured a key break in the fourth game of the third set to go 3-1 ahead. He held for 4-1, broke for 5-1, and held again for the set to leave himself with a one-set deficit. He broke in the third and fifth games of the fourth set to take it 6-2 and level the match.

Malisse had progressed to the semi-final by defeating the 1996 champion, the Dutchman Richard Krajicek, in the quarter-finals, having earlier accounted for Greg Rusedski. In reaching the last four he had become the first Belgian man since 1904 to get so far. Nalbandian was the first man from Argentina to reach a Wimbledon singles semi-final. Both men are baseliners and the winner will face another, the best in world, in Hewitt. On the Australian's showing against Tim Henman, that would give anyone palpitations.