Djokovic became frustrated during a game against Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta and hit a ball in the face of a line judge with a wild blow.
Lost money and points
The female official went to the ground with a scream, whereupon the game was stopped and Djokovic was disqualified. He has to leave the US Open in New York and loses his points for the world ranking rice. He must also hand in his earned money.
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Via Instagram the tennis player has now let it be known that he is very sorry. “I checked how the linesman is doing and the tournament management told me that thank goodness she feels good”, writes Djokovic. “I’m terribly sorry for causing her so much stress.”
Disappointment
He writes that he is trying to learn from the incident. “As for the disqualification, I have to look at myself, work on my disappointment and turn it all into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and a human being.”
His Spanish opponent Pablo Carreno Busta was declared the winner to his surprise. Djokovic was the big favorite for the overall victory in New York, but this one ball changed everything.
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“I didn’t see the incident myself,” said Carreno Busta after the match. “I was in shock when I heard that the linesman had gone to the ground. That is the last thing you expect when you play against Novak. I think there was no intention in the game. It was a matter of bad luck.”
Article continues below the video.
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‘Very unhappy’
The German tennis player Alexander Zverev, who like it Carreno Busta has made it to the quarter-finals, also took up a bit for Djokovic.
“He hit a tennis ball and it is very unfortunate that you hit a line judge while doing so and also in a sensitive spot. There would have been little wrong if that ball had not hit anyone. It was a matter of centimeters. The rules are correct. However, this is clear about this. It is very unfortunate for Novak. He will be upset by this for a while.
Djokovic was not at the press conference after the match, but makes several apologies in the Instagram post. “This was so unintentional, but so wrong. I apologize to the tournament and everyone involved for my behavior.”
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