Nature called for Arthur Gea during French Open match

General view of court at Roland Garros. Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

Nature called for Arthur Gea during French Open match against Karen Khachanov

By Clark Dalton | Last updated May 24, 2026 12:53 PM ET

French tennis player Arthur Gea could no longer hold it during the first round of the French Open at Roland-Garros in Paris on Sunday.

Gea faced Russian Karen Khachanov, the No. 13 seed at the French Open, in his opening match. During the first set, the 21-year-old Frenchman told the chair umpire he needed to go.

Arthur Gea requests to use bathroom during match at French Open

"I cannot wait...It's not a joke," Gea told the umpire before rushing off Court Suzanne-Lenglen into the bathroom.

Khachanov — who led the first set 4-2 — protested the move as three minutes passed (via the Associated Press). Normally, players are only allowed to use the bathroom between sets. The umpire, however, made an exception for Gea due to "medial circumstances." He was battling a stomach bug throughout the match and received medicine during his bathroom break to settle his pain.

"I cannot wait... it's not a joke"

A desperate Arthur Gea pleaded with the umpire for a toilet break during his first round match at Roland-Garros. pic.twitter.com/x9NkKwj9NZ
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) May 24, 2026

The pause didn't throw Khachanov off his game. He won the match 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-0. Following the loss, Gea said he felt healthy the night before but woke up feeling ill.

"During the match it was even worse," he said (h/t the AP). "I had to go to the toilet really quick."

The heat at Roland-Garros likely exacerbated Gea's illness. Lunchtime temperatures reached 88 degrees.

"It was harder than usual, because I was ill," he said.

Gea — the world's No. 135-ranked player — received a wild-card invitation from the French Open's organizers to play in the main draw. This marked his debut at Roland-Garros. If he ever plays in the clay-court tournament again, he hopes nature doesn't call.

Clark Dalton

Clark Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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