Watch the heroic moment tennis legend sprints over to help ball girl who collapsed while she was being interviewed on TV

Australian tennis legend Alicia Molik helped save a barl girl who collapsed during a press conference on Thursday.

Molik, a former world No 8 and two-time grand slam doubles champion, was being unveiled as the new tournament director the Adelaide International when a ball girl collapsed in the background on centre court.

The 42-year-old was listening to a question from a journalist when a loud noise from behind prompted her to see what was going on.

After spotting the ball girl collapsed and unresponsive flat on her back, she sprung into action and sprinted over.

Molik is a mother of two and used her first aid knowledge to roll the girl onto one side, before comforting her until paramedics arrived.

The teenager is now recovering in hospital. 

Molik had been telling the media how she wants to give back to South Australian tennis in her new role, having spent the past 10 years leading Australia's Billie Jean King Cup side.

'Tennis is part of my everyday DNA and to have the opportunity to be a part of a world-class tennis event in the city where I grew up is really something special,' Molik said in a statement.

'This is a chance for me to give back to the community that supported me throughout my on-court career and still to this day.'

Molik has returned to South Australia after being based in Perth with her family,

She made her Australian Open debut in 1999 and took her considerable experience as a player into various leadership roles. 

'The last decade with the Australian Billie Jean King Cup team has prepared me for this next challenge,' Molik said.

'Working with players and their teams to understand how to provide the best competition experience is critical to the ongoing growth of the tournament and its success.'