Issued on: 07/09/2020
Text by:NEWS WIRES
4 min
Novak Djokovic was sensationally disqualified from the US Open on Sunday after striking a female lines official in the throat with a ball.
The world number one went 5-6 down in the first set to Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta when he pulled a ball out of his pocket and hit it in disgust in the direction of the official.
Djokovic appeared to be looking away from the official at the time, but he hit the ball with considerable force and when it struck her she could be heard gasping and coughing.
The official fell to the floor of the Arthur Ashe court clutching her throat.
Djokovic rushed over to check that she was okay. He put his hand on her shoulder as she appeared to be struggling to catch her breath.
After a few minutes she got up and walked off the court.
Following around ten minutes of discussions with a rules official, during which Djokovic argued his case, the umpire declared that Carreno Busta had won by default.
Djokovic then shook hands with Carreno Busta but not with the official in the umpire's chair as he left the court looking bewildered
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
He quickly exited Flushing Meadows without speaking to reporters.
Carreno Busta said he did not see the incident.
"I was celebrating the break with my coach," he told reporters.
"When I heard that the line judge was on the floor I was in shock. I never expected this moment when playing Novak.
Carreno Busta added that the incident was "unintentional."
"I think it was bad luck," he said.
Djokovic is one of only a handful of players to be disqualified from a men's singles tournament at a Grand Slam since John McEnroe was infamously tossed from the Australian Open in 1990.
The United States Tennis Association said he would lose all ranking points and prize money from the tournament.
'Very unlucky'
Rivals and former players reacted with shock after the disqualification.
Germany's Alexander Zverev had words of sympathy for Djokovic, describing the disqualification as "very unfortunate."
"He hit a tennis ball. It's very unfortunate that, you know, he hit the line judge, and especially where it hit her," Zverev said.
"There is a rule in place for it. I think the supervisors and all of them are just doing their job. Very unlucky for Novak.
"He's going to be a little bit upset about it. If he would have hit it anywhere else, if it would have landed anywhere else, we are talking about a few inches, he would have been fine."
Former women's world number one Tracy Austin said the disqualification was justified.
"Right call! Stunning to watch this unfold. Hope lines person ok...#crazyturnofevents," Austin wrote on Twitter.
Right call! Stunning to watch this unfold. Hope lines person ok.🙏@DjokerNole clear favorite to win 18th GS-shrink margin behind Rafa/Roger. Seems only way ND loses. New 1st time MAJOR champion will be crowned. #crazyturnofevents— Tracy Austin (@thetracyaustin) September 6, 2020
And four-time US Open champion Martina Navratilova said officials "had no choice" but to default Djokovic.
Former British No.1 Greg Rusedski described the disqualification as "unbelievable" but said officials had made the "correct decision."
"Novak should have stayed for the press conference & apologise," Rusedski wrote.
"We must take responsibility for our actions no matter how difficult the situation is."
Djokovic had been chasing an 18th Grand Slam title at the Billie Jean King US National Tennis Center.
He was hoping to close the gap on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both absent from the tournament, in the race for the all-time men's Slam singles title record.
Djokovic is on 17, with Nadal on 19 and Federer on 20.
(AFP)
Novak Djokovic hits ball at US Open line judge: How the incident unfolded, what was said and the tennis world's reaction
Djokovic joined the list of players to receive one of the sport's rarest punishments
By Telegraph Sport and Press Association
7 September 2020 •
Novak Djokovic apologised after being defaulted from the US Open for accidentally hitting a line judge with a ball struck in annoyance.
The top seed and 17-time grand slam champion had just dropped serve to trail Spanish opponent Pablo Carreno Busta 6-5 in the opening set of their fourth-round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium when the incident occurred.
How the incident unfolded
Djokovic, who had missed three set points at 5-4 before hurting his shoulder in a fall, hit a ball behind him without looking that struck a female line judge in the throat.
The line judge collapsed to the court and could be heard gasping for air as Djokovic rushed over to check on her condition.
Djokovic pleaded his case during lengthy discussions with tournament referee Soeren Friemel and grand slam supervisor Andreas Egli, but the officials' mind was made up.
The moment Novak Djokovic's #USOpen came to an end... pic.twitter.com/ptDQxS8DQM— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) September 6, 2020
🚨NOVAK DJOKOVIC DISQUALIFIED 🚨
After losing a point, the world No.1 hits a ball towards the back of the court and strikes a line judge...#USOpen pic.twitter.com/52NYof5jgV
— Amazon Prime Video Sport (@primevideosport) September 6, 2020
"The facts were discussed and explained by the chair umpire and the Grand Slam Supervisor," Friemel said. "In this situation, it is especially important that we are 100 per cent sure what exactly happened. The facts were established, and then I had to speak to Novak Djokovic, [to] give him the chance to state his point of view.
"His point was that he didn't hit the line umpire intentionally... We all agree that he didn't do it on purpose, but the facts are still that he hit the line umpire and that the line umpire was clearly hurt."
"There was no other option," Friemel added. "Intent is part of the discussion, but there are two factors: one is the action and [the other] the result. The action, while there was no intent, the result of hitting the line umpire and [her] clearly being hurt is the essential factor in the decision-making process here."
What the rules say
A statement from tournament organisers read: "In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook... the US Open tournament referee defaulted Novak Djokovic from the 2020 US Open."
Accrding to the US Open:
There are two ways to be defaulted from a match: through an accumulation of code violations or by a singularly egregious act.
A default is one of tennis' rarest punishments, if only because of the type of on-court actions that are considered a catalyst for it. Tennis matches are adjudicated by a code of conduct, and the punishment for violating the code—through actions such as ball abuse, racquet abuse, unsportsmanlike conduct, and other similar offenses—accumulate typically over the course of a match.
The first code violation is a warning, the second comes with a point penalty, and the third comes with a game penalty—with the offending player subject to default at the referee's discretion at any time should the code be violated again thereafter. However, when a situation such as Sunday's arises in a match, the Point Penalty Schedule may be bypassed in favor of an immediate default.
Section T of Article III, "On-Site Player Offenses," of the ITF Grand Slam rulebook discusses the procedure of defaulting a player from a match, and also that the decision cannot be changed.
"In all cases of default," it reads, "the decision of the Referee in consultation with the Grand Slam Chief of Supervisors shall be final and unappealable."
Also, asper the Grand Slam rules, any player who is defaulted from a tournament loses all points and prize money that they would have gained as a result of completing the event.
Who else has been defaulted previously
Djokovic is not the first player to be defaulted in similar circumstances, but for it to happen at a grand slam and as the tournament favourite is an extraordinary situation.
Canadian Denis Shapovalov was defaulted during a Davis Cup tie against Great Britain in 2017 after smashing a ball in anger that hit umpire Arnaud Gabas in the eye.
Tim Henman was disqualified from Wimbledon 25 years ago for hitting a ball girl with a ball during a doubles match while David Nalbandian kicked an advertising hoarding during the Queen's final in 2012, injuring a line judge, and was defaulted.
'I apologise to the US Open tournament and everyone associated for my behaviour' - what Djokovic said afterwards
After the premature end to his bid for an 18th Grand Slam, Djokovic left the grounds without attending a press conference - a decision that drew criticism.
The 33-year-old later wrote on Instagram: "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 wrong."
He subsequently accepted the decision, saying in his statement: "As for the disqualification, I need to go back within and work on my disappointment and turn this all into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and human being.
"I apologise to the @usopen tournament and everyone associated for my behaviour. I'm very grateful to my team and family for being my rock support, and my fans for always being there with me. Thank you and I'm so sorry."
How the tennis world reacted
'There's no doubt it's the right decision' - Tim Henman
Speaking on Amazon Prime, Henman said: "It's a massive shock. There's no doubt it's the right decision. It's amazing for me to talk about this because it happened to me at Wimbledon in 1995. It was that moment of frustration, hit the ball away when I wasn't looking and I hit a ball girl in the ear."
'I was in shock' - match opponent Carreno Busta
Carreno Busta had sympathy for Djokovic but felt it was the right decision.
He said: "I was in shock. I never expected this moment playing against Novak. So it was a tough moment also for me.
"I don't think that any one of us do this kind of thing intentionally. It's just the moment. The referee and the supervisor do the right thing, but it is not easy."
'It's very unfortunate that he hit the line judge, and especially where it hit her' - Alexander Zverev, fifth seed "It's very unfortunate that he hit the line judge, and especially where it hit her," Zverev told reporters.
"Very unlucky for Novak. I think he's going to be a little bit upset about it. If he would have hit it anywhere else, if it would have landed anywhere else, we are talking about a few inches, he would have been fine.
"I'm a little bit in shock right now."
'Unbelievable' - Martina Navratilova, 18-times Grand Slam singles champion
"Unbelievable what just happened on the court," she wrote on Twitter. "Novak Djokovic defaulted for inadvertently but stupidly hitting a lineswoman in the throat with a ball and the officials had no choice but to default.
"Wow... #sad Glad the woman is ok- we must do better than that."
'The rule is the rule' - Billie Jean King, 12-times Grand Slam singles champion
"I hope the line judge is okay," she wrote on Twitter. "The rule is the rule. It is unfortunate for everyone involved, but in this specific situation the default was the right call."
'You are not allowed to do that' - Mats Wilander, seven-times Grand Slam singles champion
"You are not allowed to do that," he said. "It's as much bad luck as you can have on a tennis court. He didn't just roll the ball back to the ball kid, that's the bottom line.
"He hit it harder than he intended to, obviously a complete accident. It was a sign of frustration, yes. A little bit. But it doesn't matter, you are not allowed to do it."
'They had no other choice' - Alex Corretja, former French Open finalist
"It's amazing how one centimetre can change not only the match, but the future of our sport, the history of our sport," he told Eurosport.
"With the rule as it is, you need to disqualify him. It's obvious they had no other choice, it's a pity..."
'Novak deserved it' - Tim Mayotte, coach and former player
"Almost every high-performance player I train does what Novak did in firing the ball," he posted on Twitter. "I tell them to stop it, and break the habit for this exact reason, they eventually hit someone and it won't be good. Yes, Novak deserved it."
'How many years would I be banned for?' - Nick Kyrgios, Australian tennis player
"Swap me for jokers incident. ‘Accidentally hitting the ball kid in the throat’ how many years would I be banned for? 5? 10? 20?" he wrote on Twitter.
What is next?
Djokovic will have to get used to being the "bad guy", American great John McEnroe has said.
"The pressure just got to him. I think a lot has been going on off the court," McEnroe told ESPN.
"It's obviously affected him and whether he likes it or not, he's going to be the bad guy the rest of his career.
"If he embraces that role, I think he could recover. He's got a lot of things going for him, but this is a stain that he's not going to be able to erase."
U.S. Open's No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic was defaulted after angrily hitting a ball that accidentally hit a linesman in the throat. He later apologized on social media
By FRED ROBLEDO | frobledo@scng.com | San Gabriel Valley Tribune
PUBLISHED: September 7, 2020
Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 men’s tennis player in the world and top seed at the U.S Open, was defaulted on Sunday in the fourth round, sending shockwaves throughout the tennis world.
Top-seeded Novak Djokovic was defaulted from his fourth-round match at the #USOpen after he accidentally hit a line judge with a tennis ball Sunday. pic.twitter.com/TTstxZB2Jw
— ESPN (@espn) September 6, 2020
Djokovic was trailing 5-6 in the first set against Spain’s Pablo Carreño Busta when after losing a point, Djokovic smacked a tennis ball behind him in anger that accidentily hit a line judge.
The line judge was hit in the throat and required medical attention. After a discussion with officials, Djokovic was defaulted, ending his chance to win his 18th major tournament. Here are different video’s of the incident and what social media is saying about the default.
Djokovic took to Twitter and Instagram to apologize later.
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
First his shoulder and now this.@DjokerNole has accidentally hit a line judge.
What will be the punishment?#USOpen pic.twitter.com/PO5mNVo3G6
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) September 6, 2020
Here are my thoughts on the Novak Djokovic default.
First I hope the line judge is okay.
The rule is the rule. It is unfortunate for everyone involved, but in this specific situation the default was the right call. #USOpen
— Billie Jean King (@BillieJeanKing) September 6, 2020
The moment that #1 Novak Djokovic knew that his #USOpen and his undefeated 2020 season were over. pic.twitter.com/uwd5fbXKb1
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) September 6, 2020
Should Novak Djokovic have been defaulted at the U.S. Open for hitting a ball in anger that accidentily hit a linesman?
— Inside SoCal Sports
(@InsideSoCalSpts) September 6, 2020BREAKING: “Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 seed in the men’s draw, was disqualified from the U.S. Open after accidentally striking a lineswoman with a ball hit in frustration,” reports @nytimes
pic.twitter.com/wsVDKBa0nY
— David Begnaud (@DavidBegnaud) September 6, 2020
Wow. Novak Djokovic has been defaulted from the #USOpen after striking a lineswoman with a ball.
pic.twitter.com/t1zX6lEFxK
— Sacha Pisani (@Sachk0) September 6, 2020
I have to disagree. That is purely accidental, he isn’t looking.
— S̶t̶e̶p̶h̶e̶n̶ Steven Anderson (@SDAUK) September 6, 2020
Not trying to downplay the overall moment ….it appears she was hurt….. but that was not a "hard" hit. You make it sound like he served it at her throat 100mph . Not what occurred.
— Rome Van Lara (@RomeVanLara23) September 6, 2020
Absolutely right call to default @DjokerNole, no intent in his actions but rules are rules. Poor by @usopen to drag the decision out, clearly it was made early on but nerves of the situation set in. Also #novakdjokovic storming out of press and not saying sorry. Bad 2020 for him.
— Jaime Tunstall (Stay at
) Novak Djokovic has been defaulted from his US Open fourth-round match after unintentionally hitting a lineswomen with a ball hit in anger. There will be a first-time major champion on the men’s side. pic.twitter.com/2NhrxsBGbT
— Bryan Armen Graham (@BryanAGraham) September 6, 2020
Novak Djokovic has been defaulted from the U.S. Open after hitting a line judge with a ball pic.twitter.com/ByKxKjXG28
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) September 6, 2020
Who would guessed, the first player to beat Djokovic in 2020 would be…Djokovic
— Jon Wertheim (@jon_wertheim) September 6, 2020
"There's no way Novak Djokovic can possibly look any worse this year"
Djokovic:pic.twitter.com/6tjtMLvP8R
— Ardit Luciano (@Ardit_Luciano_) September 6, 2020
“after he accidentally hit a line judge with a tennis ball”
Ridiculous decision! Stay strong @DjokerNole ! #usopen
https://t.co/Dhmi3wqJNb— Bogdan Bogdanovic (@LeaderOfHorde) September 6, 2020
Novak Djokovic quite rightly booted from the @usopen for this pic.twitter.com/EI1DpLR3pn
— Andrew Gourdie (@AndrewGourdie) September 6, 2020
Wow. Wow. No. 1 seed Novak Djokovic has been defaulted from the U.S. Open after hitting a ball in anger that then hit a lineswoman in the throat and she fell to the court.
Djokovic plead his case, but those are the rules.
— Ava Wallace (@avarwallace) September 6, 2020
And just like that, with #1 Novak Djokovic getting himself defaulted, we are guaranteed to have a new Grand Slam champion in men's tennis for the first time in six years.#USOpen
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) September 6, 2020
What Roger Federer thinks of all of all this drama with Novak Djokovic pic.twitter.com/E2aqNCEUUL
— LoveSetMatch
Pretty clear! #zerotolerance pic.twitter.com/wmWgHygYzD
— James Escarcega
Fred Robledo | sports editor
Fred Robledo is a local sports editor for the Southern California Newspaper Group.
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