Nigel Sears, the coach of Ana Ivanovic and father-in-law of Andy Murray, was to be discharged from hospital yesterday and allowed to return home to Britain.

Sears was taken to hospital on Saturday after collapsing in the stands in Rod Laver Arena, causing about an hour long delay in Ivanovic’s third round clash with American Madison Keys that the Serb later went on to lose 4-6 6-4 6-4.

Murray, oblivious to the development, was playing against Portugal’s Joao Sousa on the adjacent Margaret Court Arena at the same time, winning 6-2 3-6 6-2 6-2 before rushing straight to hospital.

The 58-year-old Sears was examined by a cardiologist at Epworth Hospital in Melbourne, but cleared for discharge yesterday.

“My medical advice is that I will be allowed to leave the hospital shortly and I have been cleared to fly back to the UK in the next day or so,” Sears said in a statement from Australian Open organisers.

“I just wanted to express my sincerest thanks to the incredible people who came to my aid, as well as the brilliant staff both at the Australian Open and the Epworth Hospital.

“I feel truly grateful to everyone involved for the manner in which this has been handled.”

Sears is the father of Murray’s wife Kim, who is expecting their first child in February and has not travelled to Melbourne.