Evert, Suffering From Ear Infection, May Be Forced to Miss Wimbledon

Chris Evert withdrew Wednesday from a Wimbledon warm-up tournament because of an ear infection that may force her to miss next week’s Grand Slam event.

Evert’s infection left her dizzy and nauseous. A doctor who examined her said it could take anywhere from two days to a week for the illness to clear up.

Wimbledon starts its two-week run Monday, with Evert scheduled to play her first-round match against Peanut Harper on Tuesday.

Asked if Evert would be able to play by then, Dr. Geoffrey Wilson said, “That I cannot say. . . . No one can be sure.”

Andy Mill, the 34-year-old tennis star’s husband, said Evert still hoped to play at Wimbledon, where she has reached at least the semifinals in all but one of her 17 appearances.

“She has had two weeks’ practice on grass, but obviously she had been hoping to have a lot of match practice at Eastbourne this week,” Mill said. “Now that is out.”

Evert was resting at her hotel in Eastbourne, and unavailable for comment.

The illness, which flared overnight after Evert beat Sara Gomer of Britain, 6-2, 6-0, in the second round of the Pilkington Ladies’ Grass-Court Championships, was the latest twist in the her quest to play at the All England Lawn Tennis Club at least one more time.

Aiming to play in the French Open, where she has won a record seven singles titles, Evert returned to the European clay-court circuit in mid-May but lost a first-round match in Geneva to Barbara Paulus of Austria.

She flew home to Florida and announced she was skipping the French Open because she lacked the motivation to win.

But saying Wimbledon was her favorite tournament, Evert flew to England to prepare for the grass-court event.