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 No. 1 went 5-6 down in the first set to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta when he hit the ball 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 10 minutes of discussions with a rules official, 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.
The Serbian star 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.
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.
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.
FINE OF $250,000
Djokovic will be docked all ranking points earned at the US Open and fined $250,000 in prize money following his sensational disqualification from the tournament on Sunday.
A statement from the US Tennis Association detailed the immediate sanctions Djokovic faces after he was tossed out of the tournament during the fourth round.
The USTA said Djokovic had been defaulted under the Grand Slam rules for “intentionally hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences.”
“Because he was defaulted, Djokovic will lose all ranking points earned at the US Open and will be fined the prize money won at the tournament in addition to any or all fines levied with respect to the offending incident,” the USTA said in a statement.
