Tennis / World no. 1 Djokovic disqualified from US Open after hitting lineswoman with ball

Sports Desk: World number one Novak Djokovic was disqualified in the fourth round of US Open on Sunday (September 6) after the Serbian star hit a lineswoman with a ball during his match against Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta.

Djokovic looked frustrated during the match after failing to take the opening set against Busta and it seems that out of frustration he hit the ball to the back of the court, hitting the lineswoman.

The Serbian star, however, immediately apologised for his mistake as the lineswoman gasped in pain and collapsed to the ground.

Busta didn’t see what happened. “I was looking to my coach, celebrating the break. When I turn back again, the line umpire was on the floor. I'm very apprehensive with these kind of things, so I was a little bit in shock. … I never expected this moment playing against Novak,” Busta told USA Today.

HOLY CRAP. Djokovic defaulted after he inadvertently hits a ball and strikes a line judge in the neck. She had to leave. pic.twitter.com/BECdydrKFw

— Mark Armstrong (@ArmstrongABC11) September 6, 2020

The lineswoman got to her feet after few minutes and after that tournament referee Soeren Friemel and Andreas Egli, the Grand Slam supervisor, came on the court to discuss the situation with Djokovic. The conversation ended after around 10 minutes and Djokovic walked to his chair and packed up his rackets ending his US Open 2020 campaign.

A statement from the United States Tennis Association confirmed that:  “In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook, following his actions of intentionally hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences, the US Open tournament referee defaulted Novak Djokovic from the 2020 US Open. 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 leveled with respect to the offending incident.”