[ad_1]
NEW YORK (AFP) – Novak Djokovic was dramatically disqualified from the US Open on Sunday after hitting a female linesman with a ball in frustration during their round of 16 match, causing a stir at the tournament.
The world number one hit the ball in disgust after losing his serve to go 6-5 down in the first set to under-seeded Spanish Pablo Carreño Busta inside the 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 ran up to her to check if she was okay and put 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 the tournament referee, 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.
He then went straight to his car and left the Flushing Meadows site in New York without speaking to reporters.
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 floor, I was shocked. I never expected this moment when playing Novak.
Carreño Busta added that the incident was “involuntary.”
“I think it was bad luck,” he said.
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.
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 negligently negligently for the consequences.”
The agency added that it would lose all qualifying points and prize money from the tournament.
A spokesperson said the linesman had been treated by medical personnel and was “fine.”
The former players reacted with surprise to the disqualification, but said the officials had made the right decision.
‘Apologize’
“Correct call!” Former female world number one Tracy Austin wrote on Twitter.
Martina Navratilova, a four-time US Open champion, said the referees “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”.
“Novak should have stayed for the press conference and apologized,” Rusedski wrote.
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.”
“There are no Grand Slam champions left in the draw.
“He’s going to be one of the young guys,” whoever wins, Zverev added after becoming the first German to reach the US Open in the round of 16 since Tommy Haas in 2007.
Zverev, the fifth seed, swept away Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-2, 6-2, 6-1 in just 1 hour and 34 minutes.
In Sunday’s women’s draw, 28th-seeded American Jennifer Brady upset three-time Grand Slam winner Angelique Kerber and eighth-seeded Petra Martic was eliminated by 23-seeded Kazakhstan. , Yulia Putintseva.
There was also another surprise when American Shelby Rogers surprised sixth-seeded Petra Kvitova, winning 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 7-6 (8/6)
SIGN UP FOR THE DAILY NEWSLETTER
CLICK HERE TO REGISTER
