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John McEnroe warned Novak Djokovic that he will have to face being the “bad boy” for the rest of his career after the world number one was expelled from the US Open for hitting a ball that hit a linesman.
McEnroe, who is no stranger to grand slam failures, accused Djokovic of making a “rookie mistake” after the incident, which saw the Serbian expelled from the tournament towards the end of his first set against Pablo Carreno Busta.
Djokovic tweeted an apology hours after the incident, but having sparked controversy this year by hosting an ill-fated tournament amid the coronavirus pandemic, McEnroe believes he will have a hard time getting over the incident.
McEnroe told ESPN: “I think the pressure just got to him. A lot has been happening off the court, it has obviously affected him and now, like it or not, he will be the bad guy for the rest of his career.”
“It was a rookie mistake he made hitting a ball backwards where he wasn’t even looking where he was hitting it. He’s been there and he’s done it, and I certainly know from experience to be careful. There.”
McEnroe was the first player to be expelled from a Grand Slam tournament at the 1990 Australian Open, after detecting a series of code violations during his match against Mikael Pernfors.
And McEnroe admitted he wished there was some other solution that would have allowed Djokovic to avoid being defaulted by the incident.
“I would like to tell you that I do not agree with that and I would like to find a different way to continue playing, that obviously would have been preceded by whether the linesman is okay or not,” McEnroe added.
“You’d like to at least think that because obviously it wasn’t intentional, that you’re trying to find a way to keep an all-time great player chasing history on the court … (but) I understand that the rules tell you I have to try everyone equally “.
The top seed and 17-time Grand Slam champion had just dropped his serve to follow his Spanish opponent 6-5 in the first set of their fourth-round match at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Djokovic, who had missed three set points at 5-4 before hurting his shoulder in a fall, hit a ball behind him without looking as it hit a female linesman in the throat.
The 33-year-old wrote on Instagram: “This whole situation has left me very sad and empty. I checked the lines and the tournament told me that thank God it feels good.
“I’m so sorry I caused you so much stress. So unintentionally. So bad.”
The linesman collapsed in court and was heard gasping for air as Djokovic rushed to check on his status.
Djokovic defended his case during lengthy discussions with tournament referee Soeren Friemel and Grand Slam supervisor Andreas Egli, but the referees’ decision was decided.
He later accepted the decision, saying in his statement: “Regarding the disqualification, I need to go back in and work on my disappointment and turn all this into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and a human being.
“I apologize to the @usopen tournament and all the associates for my behavior. I am very grateful to my team and my family for being my great support, and to my fans for always being with me. Thank you and I am so sorry.”
A statement from the tournament organizers read: “According to the Grand Slam regulations … the referee of the US Open tournament did not comply with Novak Djokovic of the US Open 2020.”
Djokovic was fined an additional $ 10,000 today (approximately € 8,500) following his expulsion. The Serb already knew that he would have to lose all of his $ 250,000 in prize money.
It was certainly an accident, but it is not the first time that Djokovic has flirted with such a scenario.
At the 2016 French Open he threw down his racket and nearly hit a linesman, while later that season he reacted in annoyance when asked about a warning for angrily hitting a ball to the crowd during the ATP Finals.
In his post-match press conference, Carreño Busta sympathized with Djokovic but felt it was the right decision.
He said: “I was in shock. I never expected this moment playing Novak. So it was a difficult time for me as well.”
“I don’t think any of us do this kind of thing on purpose. It’s just the moment. The referee and the supervisor do the right thing, but it’s not easy.
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