Original Blog Entry: Jennifer Capriati recovering from overdose

NBey6 — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:45:35 GMT

Updated: June 28, 2010, 2:40 PM ET

Capriati stable; full recovery expected

Associated Press

Former tennis star Jennifer Capriati was recovering Monday from an accidental overdose of prescribed medication, a family spokeswoman said.

The 34-year-old Capriati, once ranked No. 1 in a career sidetracked by personal troubles, was in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery, spokeswoman Lacey Wickline told The Associated Press. She declined to identify the medication.

[+] Enlarge Gary Gershoff/Getty ImagesJennifer Capriati, seen at the U.S. Open in 2008, is said to be in stable condition and expected to recover.

Capriati was rushed to a South Florida hospital early Sunday morning, she said. Wickline would not say how Capriati was found or who called emergency services.

In response to an outpouring of concern and support shown by Jennifer's fans and friends worldwide, we would like to acknowledge that Jen is recuperating at a South Florida hospital from an accidental overdose of medication prescribed to Jen by her personal physician, Wickline said. Jen is recovering fully and stably.

The Capriati family asks that you respect our privacy at this time. As we will provide updates when available, she added.

Public records show Capriati owns a condo on Singer Island in Palm Beach County, Fla. Riviera Beach police and Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, which oversee the area, did not have a record of what happened. Nearby hospitals did not have a patient listed under Capriati's name.

Celebrity website TMZ first reported that Capriati was hospitalized.

At Wimbledon, Venus and Serena Williams paused after wins Monday to extend their concern.

I probably will definitely see how that goes and pray for everyone involved, Serena Williams said. If there's any way I can do anything to help, reach out, I definitely will do that.

Added Venus Williams: I remember her match against Monica in the semifinals of the [French] Open. I remember watching that and just thinking how great that tennis was. So definitely a lot of fond memories just watching her growing up, and obviously even playing against her, respecting her game so much.

Capriati won three majors -- two Australian Opens, one French Open -- and a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics. She also was the youngest semifinalist at the French Open in 1990, when at age 14 she lost to eventual champion Monica Seles.

But the child prodigy burned out of tennis and retired several times from a game she had been pushed to play nearly her entire life.

She was arrested in 1993 for shoplifting at a Florida mall, and again in 1994 for marijuana possession. She came back strong several times, however, from personal issues and injuries.

Capriati reached the U.S. Open semifinals in 2003, losing to Justine Henin. She failed to gain any momentum from that run, and soon faded from the game again.

... [ More ]