CHOKE-OVIC
Top-ranked Novak out at Open after accidentally striking judge in neck with ball
Novak Djokovic, the top seed and overwhelming favorite to win the US Open, was stunningly disqualified yesterday when a ball he hit to the sidelines in frustration accidentally struck a line judge in the throat, sending her tumbling to the court and gasping for breath.
The overwhelming U.S. Open favorite Novak Djokovic was stunningly defaulted from his fourth-round match versus Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta on Sunday after striking a lineswoman in the throat with a ball hit in frustration.
The USTA called it an “offending incident,’’ which occurred late in the first set with Djokovic trailing 6-5. The move served as a monumental decision rocking a tournament already reeling from having no fans in Flushing.
The Grand Slam rulebook calls for a disqualification for “abuse of ball” when it is struck with “negligent disregard for consequences.’’
Soeren Friemel, the tournament referee, said he didn’t believe Djokovic hit the lineswoman intentionally but the key was he took the ball out of his pocket and struck it with anger and caused injury. Djokovic, according to Friemel, admitted he was angry but pleaded his case about the randomness of the ball hitting her.
“It’s a very tense moment,’’ Friemel said in a Zoom call. “It’s essential to get the facts right. That’s why it was a longer discussion. I don’t have the option of looking at any replay. But the impact and the speed of the ball has an impact on the decision. We were told he hit it straight at the line umpire and hit the line umpire hard and she was hurt. It’s [not just] intent but result.’’
Djokovic, who was 29-0 this year and the Open’s No. 1 seed, spoke calmly with the tournament referees for 10 minutes to explain his side. It did not appear Djokovic intentionally hit the lineswoman after Busta had taken the lead.
Djokovic, 33, blindly hit the ball to the back wall, striking the woman, who stayed down for a few minutes looking in deep pain before she was removed from the court.
Djokovic’s face registered alarm after the ball struck her and she rushed directly to her.
Djokovic could be heard on the audio saying the lineswoman walked off on her own and didn’t have to go to the hospital.
“You’re going to choose a default in this situation? My career, Grand Slam, center stage,” Djokovic could be heard saying.
According to a tennis official, the lineswoman was treated by Dr. Brian Daniles, director of player medical services. She was moved to Louis Armstrong Stadium where the officials area is located and was said to be doing OK.
The absence of fans at the Open allowed the disqualification to go off in near silence — as opposed to the booing that would’ve normally occurred after such a controversial decision.
After shaking hands with Carreno Busta, Djokovic left the court — and then the grounds 20 minutes later without doing a postmatch Zoom interview, ducking into a car in the parking lot.
It did not appear the officials looked at the replays. Djokovic also had hit a ball in anger after a point earlier in the set — much harder. In his younger days, he was known for those outbursts of temper.
The USTA said in a statement Djokovic would lose the prize money he won for winning three rounds, would lose rankings points and be fined for violating tennis’ code.
“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,’’ a USTA statement said.
His opponent thought the USTA did the right thing.
“Of course I think this was not intentional,’’ Carreno Busta said. “I don’t think that any one of us, of the players, do this kind of thing intentional. It’s just the moment. It’s just I broke him the serve, and, you know, he throw the ball. I think that it was bad luck, no? You cannot do this, but of course I think that Novak never, never wants to hit the line umpire.
“The rules are the rules,’’ the Spaniard added. “The referee and the supervisor do the right thing, but is not easy to do it, no?”
It was a stunning end to Djokovic’s bid to post an undefeated season and move within two Grand Slams of Federer.