Dolgopolov Has Gilbert’s Syndrome

Written by: Staff on 28th September 2012

Dolgopolov Has Gilbert’s Syndrome

epa03377936 Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine hits a return to Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus during their match on the fifth day of the 2012 US Open Tennis Championship at the USTA National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows, New York, USA, 31 August 2012. The US Open runs through Sunday 09 September 2012. EPA/JASON SZENES |

World no. 20 Alexandr Dolgopolov, has revealed he suffers from Gilbert’s Syndrome, hereditary condition that is found in up to 5% of the world’s population and affects the liver and causes repeated bouts of jaundice.

The 23 year-old Ukrainian, who lost out in the second round of the ongoing Malaysian Open in Kuala Lumpur and admits it occasionally effects his energy levels and leaves him feeling weak.

Dolgopolov needs to habitually take precautionary measures including medication and a special diet to combat the condition and admits there are days when he can barely walk and he said: “Whenever I suffer from it, I need about a week or two to get treatment in the hospital.”

With two ATP World Tour titles to his name in Washington DC this year and Umag in 2011, Dolgopolov is clearly fighting the condition which in medical terminology is usually shorted to GS.

“Nobody really knows how it affects a person,” he said. “It is a relatively new condition which was discovered only about 30 to 40 years ago.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

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