Ana Ivanovic was left shaken after a patron fell down a flight of stairs during her Australian Open win over Anastasija Sevastova on Thursday.

Ivanovic was leading 4-3 in the first set when play was delayed for 26 minutes while the spectator received medical attention from a health professional in the crowd before a first aid team arrived.

The players remained on court for most of the delay but were headed for the locker room when they were advised to return as the fan was stretchered from the area.

Play resumed after a three-minute warm-up, with the world No.23 regaining her composure to advance to the third round with a 6-3 6-3 win over the Latvian qualifier.

“I felt really bad, I was actually shaking, because the sound of the lady falling was really loud … I stopped immediately,” Ivanovic said.

“Maybe it’s not a good tendency to think of the worst but it didn’t sound so good. I just hope the lady is fine.

“It was actually good to wait a little bit because I was really shaking.

“I could imagine that it was not so nice and then they told me that she was bleeding … I hope she’s well.”

The patron was stretchered from the stadium and taken to a first aid post for observation and further treatment.

The incident comes just two days after Bernard Tomic’s first-round match against Denis Istomin was delayed for 20 minutes while a woman received medical treatment in the crowd at Hisense Arena.

“It was something I’ve never experienced in a match, so it was very unfortunate,” Tomic said.

“It was a very difficult situation to be in … even the referee I spoke to said it never happened before.

“At one stage I was looking directly at the lady. It was not a good moment to be in for me. I felt very sad.”

The woman was later said to be okay.