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Djokovic appeared to be looking the other way as he pulled the ball out of his pocket and hit it in the referee’s direction, hitting his full pitch to the throat.
Novak Djokovic in action at the US Open on September 2, 2020. Image: @ usopen / Twitter
NEW YORK – Novak Djokovic was dramatically disqualified from the US Open on Sunday after accidentally hitting a female linesman with a ball in frustration during his round of 16 match, causing commotion at the tournament.
The world number one apologized for hitting the ball in disgust after losing his serve to go 6-5 down in the first set to 20th seed Pablo Carreño Busta inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Djokovic appeared to be looking the other way as he pulled the ball out of his pocket and hit it in the referee’s direction, hitting his full pitch to the throat.
The officer screamed and began to gasp for air as she collapsed to the ground.
Djokovic rushed to see how she was doing, placing his hand on her back as she struggled for breath. After a few minutes she got up and left the court looking stunned.
This was followed by about ten minutes of discussions between Djokovic and tournament referee Soeren Friemel, during which the world number one defended his case.
The referee then declared that Carreño Busta had won by default. Djokovic shook his opponent’s hand before leaving the court without giving the impression of shaking the referee’s hand.
‘SO WRONG’
He then went straight to his car and left the Flushing Meadows site in New York without speaking to reporters.
Djokovic, 33, later posted an apology on Instagram saying he was “very sorry.”
“This whole situation has left me really sad and empty,” he wrote, adding that “thank God” the woman was fine.
“I’m so sorry I caused you so much stress. So unintentionally. So bad,” Djokovic said.
He also apologized to the tournament organizers for “my behavior,” but did not say if he thought they were correct in not paying for it.
The United States Tennis Association said Djokovic had been breached under Grand Slam rules for “intentionally hitting a ball in a dangerous or reckless manner on the court or hitting a ball without regard for consequences.”
The agency added that it would lose all qualifying points and prize money from the tournament.
Referee Friemel said that Djokovic told him that it should not be breached because it was unintentional.
Friemel said he agreed that there was no intention, but that it was a clear case where Djokovic hit the ball “with rage and recklessness”.
“She was clearly hurt and in pain. There was no other option,” she told reporters.
The Serbian star is one of the few players to have been disqualified from a men’s singles tournament at a Grand Slam since John McEnroe was expelled from the Australian Open in 1990.
Djokovic had been chasing an 18th Grand Slam title at the US Billie Jean King National Tennis Center.
He was hoping to close the gap with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both absent from the tournament, in the race for the all-time record for the men’s singles Slam title.
Djokovic is 17, Nadal 19 and Federer 20.
Carreño Busta said he did not see the incident.
“I was celebrating the break with my coach,” he told reporters.
“When I heard that the linesman was on the court, I was shocked. I never expected this moment when I played Novak.
“I think it was bad luck,” he added.
The former players reacted in amazement at the disqualification, but said the officials had made the right decision.
NEW WINNER
“Correct call!” Former female world number one Tracy Austin wrote on Twitter.
Martina Navratilova, a four-time US Open champion, said officials “had no choice” but to sideline Djokovic.
Former British number one Greg Rusedski described the disqualification as “unbelievable” but said officials had made the “right decision”.
A spokesman for the USTA said the linesman was “fine” after receiving treatment from medical staff.
Djokovic had been the big favorite to capture a fourth US Open title.
His disqualification opens the men’s draw wide and means that he will crown a Grand Slam winner for the first time next Sunday.
“Now it gets interesting,” said fifth seed Alexander Zverev, who described Djokovic as “very unfortunate.”
“He’s going to be one of the youngsters,” whoever wins, Zverev added after becoming the first German to reach the US Open round of 16 since 2007.
Fifth-seeded Zverev swept away Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, while 12th-seeded Canadian Denis Shapovalov beat David Goffin for his first round of 16 Grand Slam spot.
In the women’s draw, 28th-seeded American Jennifer Brady upset three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber, while eighth-seeded Petra Martic was eliminated by 23rd-seeded Kazakhstan Yulia. Putintseva.
And American Shelby Rogers defeated sixth seed Petra Kvitova 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 7-6 (8/6). She will then play two-time Slam winner Naomi Osaka, who defeated Estonian Anett Kontaveit 6-3, 6-4.
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