Leptospirosis is a disease caused by a bacterium which is usually spread by animals and in the most cases only causes mild flu-like symptoms.

But some strains, including the one Miss Taylor is thought to have contracted, can be much more serious and in rare cases can cause fatal organ failure.

Miss Taylor's mother said the athlete had been staying at the National Tennis Centre during the tournament and had only being going travelling between there and The All England Club at Wimbledon.

Mrs Taylor said: “She was staying in a completely healthy environment. For her to get ill in these circumstances, with rat urine, was just impossible.

“The bacteria the infection team found is so rare in Britain that we feel this could not have been an accident. Her bags with her drinks in were often left unattended in the players’ lounge and someone could have taken the opportunity to contaminate her drink.”