Q&A: Why Would Someone Poison A Tennis Prodigy? News looks at the motives that could lie behind the alleged poisoning of one of Britain's rising stars on the junior circuit.

 

The Metropolitan Police are investigating the suspected poisoning of rising British tennis star Gabriella Taylor.

But what would someone have to gain by knocking out a young player from the scene?
:: Who is Gabriella Taylor?
Gabi Taylor is a raising British tennis star of the future and is ranked inside the World Tennis Association top 10 for her age bracket, according to her agent Cindy Morphy.
In July, she played at Junior Wimbledon but dropped out due to illness.
Ms Morphy said: "Within her (Gaby's) reach was the final shot of winning the Wimbledon Junior Grand Slam which came to a tragic end due to this illness."
She has turned professional and had a WTA ranking of 381 at the time, despite still being a junior.

Judy Murray is among those who have supported Gabriella Taylor while she was playing as a junior

:: What happened to Miss Taylor?
The 18-year-old retired midway through her junior Wimbledon quarter-final match on 6 July.
Before then, she had been progressing well, winning her first three matches easily, despite suffering the first signs of illness in one of them, according to The Daily Telegraph.
When she was forced to pull out, she was playing Kayla Day of the United States, who was seeded five in the event.
Despite being ill, she only lost the first set 6-4 and was 1-1 in the second when the match was stopped.
Miss Day was automatically put through to the semi finals where she played Russian Anastasia Potapova, who was seeded fourth.
Miss Potapova won that match and went on to become Girls Singles Champion.

 

Gabriella Taylor had easily beaten Swiss number-two seed Rebeka Masarova

:: Why did she fall ill?
It was initially thought she had contracted a virus while playing overseas.
But after spending four days in intensive care, doctors diagnosed her with a rare strain of leptospirosis, a bacterial disease carried by rats and other animals that can be transmitted to humans through their urine.
It can be picked up from swimming in or drinking water containing infected urine. It can also be passed on through food contaminated with infected urine, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
If it causes the kidneys to fail, it is called Weil's disease.
:: What effect has it had on her?
Gabriella spent some time in hospital and is yet to recover, according to police.

 

Russian Anastasia Potapova went on to win the Girls Singles at Wimbledon

:: How could she have been poisoned?
Police say they are looking into the possibility something was given to Gabriella that made her sick, at an address in Wimbledon between 1 and 10 July.
:: What is to be gained from junior tennis?
Not much at first, but the earnings as an adult can be stratospheric.
Forbes estimates Wimbledon Women's Champion Serena Willams has lifelong career prize earnings of $78m, but her endorsements from sponsors takes her overall wealth way above that.
Maria Sharapova, despite not winning any grand slam events in 2015, earned $20m in endorsements alone.
In all, the money female tennis players could earn means they are among the richest sports stars in the world, with eight of Forbes' top ten earning female athletes in the sport.

 

Serena Williams' wealth shows the earnings that can be achieved for those who succeed at the top of tennis

:: Does that mean the world of junior tennis is very competitive?
Extremely. And exceptionally pressurised due to the expense of getting to the top.
As a result, increasingly, it is only people with money and resources who try.
In 2014, the Lawn Tennis Association estimated that it cost about £250,000 to develop a winning player from the age of five through to 18.
The International Tennis Federation said the expense of attending the junior circuit for 20 weeks a year for a 17-year-old boy is $40,000 (£30,000).
Several British parents end up having to move to places where the coaching and circuit is cheaper, like Spain and Portugal.
But the cost for juniors pales in comparison to the cost of just taking part in the professional tour. A 2010 study by the US Tennis Association found the cost of playing on the pro tour was $143,000 a year (£110,000).
:: But, would that be sufficient reason to poison a rival?
Who knows, but Gabriella's parents think so.
The Daily Telegraph said one theory being explored is that she may have been targeted by an organised crime betting syndicate.
Another is that she may have been the subject of a malicious plot by a rival player or coach.
Her mother Milena told the newspaper: "What happened to Gabriella has opened our eyes to a world we did not know existed.
"In the past we have been very naïve, but from now on we will be extra careful and make sure we know exactly what she eats and drinks when she is on the tour."