17-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic has been disqualified from the US Open 4th round for inappropriate behaviour.
Apparently frustrated, Novak Djokovic after losing the match hit the ball with the tennis racket without even looking, hitting the female judge who was behind his back.
Footage from the scene shows the champion hitting a line judge aggressively with a tennis ball, after which she falls to the ground reaching for her neck. Djokovic looks shocked at first before he heads towards the woman.
Oh my god, Djokovic got disqualified from the US Open.pic.twitter.com/yCo3Lqw0tg
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) September 6, 2020
Djokovic was trailing 6:5 in the opening set against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta.
After the incident happened, Djokovic had a discussion with officials on court and argued against his disqualification, saying that the judge did not have to go to hospital after being hit.
However, later, Djokovic via Twitter said he was “extremely sorry”, adding that the situation left him “really sad and empty”.
This whole situation has left me really sad and empty. I checked on the lines person and the tournament told me that thank God she is feeling ok. I‘m extremely sorry to have caused her such stress. So unintended. So… https://t.co/UL4hWEirWL
— Novak Djokovic (@DjokerNole) September 6, 2020
The United States Tennis Association (USTA) said Djokovic will lose all his ranking points and will be fined prize money earned in the tournament, in addition to other fines related to the incident.
USTA statement on default of Novak Djokovic: pic.twitter.com/dqlt0mokg9
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) September 6, 2020
On the other hand, Australia’s Nick Kyrgios opened a cheeky Twitter poll asking how many years he would be banned if he had hit an official with a ball.
Kyrgios jumped onto social media to ask his followers what would happen if he had hit the line judge.
“Swap me for jokers incident,” he said, using Djokovic’s nickname.
“‘Accidentally hitting the ball kid in the throat.’ How many years would I be banned for?” asked the Australian.
