Todd Woodbridge heart attack: Australian tennis legend, 51, suffers heart attack while exercising in home gym
Tennis great Todd Woodbridge is urging others to have a health check after becoming the latest 50-something celebrity to suffer a heart attack.
Woodbridge says he was left shocked after experiencing symptoms as a fit 51-year-old last Thursday.
The 16-times grand slam doubles champion and one-time top-20 singles star regularly works out in his home gym in Melbourne and also keeps active while away commentating at tournaments.
Watch the latest sport on Channel 7 or stream for free on 7plus >>
“I tried to keep my routine having travelled to the US Open and London and I was just exercising and had chest pains and every symptom when you look up Google - full sweats and I felt awful,”’ Woodbridge said.
“I had a little heart episode that goes down as a mild heart attack, which is a bit of a shock to me.
“And you’re personally still coming to terms with somebody like myself who I consider to lead a pretty good fit healthy lifestyle - I keep active, I eat well, I do all the right things, I enjoy doing that.
“It’s been a wake-up call to me to make sure I look after myself. If it can happen to me it shows that it can happen to anybody.”
Australian tennis great Todd Woodbridge has revealed he suffered a heart attack. Credit: Getty
While Woodbridge survived his frightening ordeal, cricket legend Shane Warne died earlier this year at just 52 after having a heart attack in Thailand.
Labor senator Kimberley Kitching also died in March at the same age from a sudden heart attack.
Essendon AFL premiership player Dean Wallis underwent surgery this year after a major heart attack, also at 52, while former Australia cricket coach Darren Lehmann survived a heart attack on his 50th birthday in 2020.
Woodbridge’s two brothers both died in their 50s, leaving him extra cautious about his own health.
Shane Warne died from a heart attack aged 52, while Darren Lehmann survived his own heart attack on his 50th birthday. Credit: Hamish Blair / Getty Images
“I’ve hit that age now where I need to make sure that I have regular testing, get to the doctors,” Woodbridge said.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to go and get all the tests and I’m OK. With good monitoring and a bit of mild medication moving forward, I’ll be fine.
“But what I did learn was how important hereditary genes are to your health and I am aware that both my mum and dad have had a few issues with needing some stents and my dad had very high cholesterol.
“If I take care of that I have the ability to be fine into the future.
“But if you don’t take care of that, you are putting yourself at risk.”
Most Popular
