The tennis world showed up in force for Lindsey Vonn after the American skiing icon shared a sobering surgery update from her hospital bed in Italy. Messages poured in from Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Jannik Sinner, Frances Tiafoe, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, Serena Williams’ husband Alexis Ohanian, and Sloane Stephens, all reacting after Vonn revealed she had undergone a third surgery following a devastating crash at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics 2026.
Coco Gauff, Novak Djokovic, and Tennis Stars React as Lindsey Vonn Shares Emotional Surgery Update
In her latest update, she shared a photo showing her in a hospital bed and an external fixator device attached to her leg as part of the recovery process. Vonn revealed that she had undergone a third surgery and that it was successful. “Success today has a completely different meaning than it did a few days ago,” she wrote, adding that progress is slow but steady and expressing gratitude for the medical staff, family, and friends supporting her.
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The response from tennis stars was immediate. Alcaraz replied with, “🙏🥺,” and Sinner posted a prayer emoji. Tiafoe called her “The peoples champ,” while Gauff wrote, “champ forever!” along with prayer and heart emojis.
Nadal responded with, “💪😘,” while Ohanian offered, “sending all the best vibes.” Osaka wrote, “Sending you love,” while Stephens filled the comments with heart emojis. Djokovic reshared her post to his Instagram stories and added, “Heal well, legend,” along with a healing heart emoji.
What Exactly Happened During Lindsey Vonn’s Devastating Crash at the Milano Cortina Winter Games?
Vonn, 41, had returned to the Olympic stage in Cortina d’Ampezzo for the women’s downhill final at the Milano Cortina Winter Games, pushing forward just nine days after fully rupturing her left ACL during a World Cup tune-up in Crans-Montana, Switzerland.
Her comeback attempt unraveled only 13 seconds into her run on the Olympia delle Tofane course. She appeared to clip the fourth gate with her right arm or ski pole, a small miscalculation at extreme speed that sent her off balance. She was launched into the air, twisted sideways, and landed hard on the icy surface before cartwheeled down the slope.
Broadcast microphones picked up her cries of pain as she slid to a stop, saying she could not remove her skis. The race was halted for more than 10 minutes as medical personnel treated her on the piste. She was stabilized, strapped to a gurney, and airlifted by helicopter to a clinic in Cortina before being transferred to Ca’ Foncello Hospital in Treviso for specialized care.
Doctors later confirmed a fracture in her left leg, the same leg that had sustained the recent ACL rupture. She underwent emergency orthopedic surgery to stabilize a complex tibia fracture, effectively ending her Olympic campaign and casting doubt on her competitive future. Despite the somber moment, teammate Breezy Johnson went on to capture gold.
From her hospital bed in Treviso, Vonn addressed the public with candor. She described the injury as a complex tibia fracture and acknowledged that the crash stemmed from a technical miscalculation. She emphasized that she had no regrets about attempting the comeback, writing that success now carries a different meaning.
