Novak Djokovic has defaulted from the US Open after inadvertently striking a linesperson with a ball

[gristy]

Happened 10 minutes ago. Link to come...

Link: https://www.seattletimes.com/sports/djokovic-out-of-us-open-after-hitting-line-judge-with-ball/

[mr_lebowski]

1. Wow, srsly? He's like ... one of the top 2 Men's players in the World IIRC ...

That's pretty friggin' major.

[spooky3]

22. He is #1. But he broke the rule, and is lucky the injury was not worse.

The officials did the right thing.

[monmouth4]

32. Waiting for malaise to pop in and give her analysis..n/t

[malaise]

39. Spooky3 explained it to me

I missed the live action

[underpants]

2. Saw this and trying to find details

One report said he was pissed another said it was an accident - could be both.

[a kennedy]

4. It was not an accident, he was mad he lost a game. Hit her in anger, NOT ON PURPOSE,

BUT he did hit her in the throat, AND HE’S GONE FROM THE TOURNAMENT.

[underpants]

15. I follow tennis casually but he clearly is THE player right now.

Like Sampras was when he accumulated his majors totals. This should be Jokes time to reign - post Nadal and Federer basically.

I can’t think of anything comparable. Of course we had a NBA just last week say SCREW IT so ...yeah. This is where we are.

[a kennedy]

17. I know.......and just yikes.......

[BlueMTexpat]

36. IMO, he is not - and

never will be - the kind of role model that Federer and Nadal - and many other tennis greats - are.

Yes, he has tremendous ability and talent.

But it's his anti-vax stand that is the last straw for me. https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/novak-djokovic-anti-vaccine-987003/

With anti-social distancing protests sprouting up across the country, the COVID-19 deniers are out in full force. Right on the front lines are anti-vaxxers, many of whom have spent the past few months downplaying the risks of COVID-19 or sharing conspiracy theories about the origins of the virus to push the idea of Big Pharma benefiting from a potential future vaccine.

Apparently, among their ranks is tennis star Novak Djokovic, who came out against vaccines in a livestream on Sunday.

During a conversation with several other Serbian athletes, which was broadcast on Facebook on Sunday, Djokovic expressed his concerns about potentially being forced to get a vaccine in the future in order to be able to professionally compete.
...

Plus he organized the Adria Tour in Serbia where he and several players tested positive for Covid-19 in part because they did NOT follow WHO recommendations. https://au.sports.yahoo.com/us-open-2020-novak-djokovic-admission-adria-tour-224605564.html

**********
While I am sorry that his 2020 US Open ended this way, the incident was the result of a temper tantrum because he was trailing his opponent. While he did NOT intend to hit the lineswoman and I do not doubt his sincerity afterwards, he also hit the ball very hard while he was angry.

The ball hit her very hard in the throat and I hope that she recovers completely.

Right now, he's on my personal tennis Black List.

[a kennedy]

42. Mine too......

[BlueMTexpat]

46. And I didn't even

mention the "renegade" association that he formed because the ATP wouldn't kowtow to his every wish. https://scroll.in/field/971736/djokovics-new-players-association-promises-to-put-him-on-a-collision-course-with-federer-nadal

In some ways, he's becoming the Milosevic of men's tennis.

[cwydro]

33. Yeah, he didn't slam it at her, but bad luck for him.

He’s not having such a great year lol.

Glad she’s ok. My mom called lines for years, and it’s not for the faint of heart.

[malaise]

40. The rule is simple

Hit a ball in anger - if it hits someone you're gone

[monmouth4]

41. Short and sweet analysis malaise, thanks. n/t

[malaise]

43. You're welcome

[CincyDem]

5. He was pissed.

3-4 shots earlier he rocketed one into the wall in frustration.

He had just been broken. It was an accident that he hit someone but he hit that ball in her direction out of anger.

[CincyDem]

3. Watched it live...love me some Nole but he earned the default.

It was painful to watch this woman get hit in the throat. And it was even more painful to hear the isolated sound from the mic where she went down...listening to her gasping for air.

Guy's gotta get his emotions under control.

[OneBlueDotBama]

9. Second time in the match...

Hit one off to the side, overhand, hit a sound man.

[CincyDem]

14. Pretty sure he didn't hit the sound guy...if that shot had been up about 12" it would have.

Last week they had the issue with someone who poked a ball up into the cameraman's booth. They didn't default the player only after the cameraman said "no blood, no foul".

I think if he had hit a sound guy with that slam to the side...he would have been booted for that because it would have knocked the guy out.

That's what I recall from watching the match.

[spooky3]

24. yes, that was Bedene. They are showing clips now. nt

[Cosmo Blues]

25. bounce

It bounced off the wall before it hit the guy then the guy said it was nothing

[North Shore Chicago]

6. Can someone post a video please?

If it was not intentional, yes he should have been more careful. He held that tournament where players caught covid-19 so maybe he does not use good judgment.

[OneBlueDotBama]

10. Didn't put on a mask after being booted. n/t

[North Shore Chicago]

13. Uggggh

[OneBlueDotBama]

16. Talking heads...

It's all about Nole, not one f'omg word about the line judge that got a ball in the larynx...Had to leave the court. Brad Gilbert is an idiot...

[North Shore Chicago]

19. Not surprising

The prima donnas are treated special.

[spooky3]

26. They do need to update us on her condition. James Blake did wish

her a speedy recovery but we haven't gotten an update yet.

Gilbert doesn't know when to stop digging. I thought Renae was pretty clear about why he was wrong, even though she agreed it would be good to have the video for the umpire to view before making the decision. He kept talking over Chris McK. who was simply trying to read the rule so that we all understood.

[Cosmo Blues]

27. Just thought I'd agree with you

Brad Gilbert is an idiot

[BlueMTexpat]

38. Amen! eom

[underpants]

18. See post 8

[cwydro]

34. CNN is playing it, and the tennis is still on ESPN.

Should be interesting now with none of the top guys in.

[cwydro]

37. He just doesn't think the rules apply to him.

Maybe one day he’ll learn some humility.

I remember one of the top players smacking a ball boy with a ball some years back, but I’ve forgotten who.

[North Shore Chicago]

48. Maybe this?

Roger Federer, the golden boy of tennis and the only man capable of causing British fans a dilemma of who to support when he plays Andy Murray, was involved in a similar incident at the Australian Open several years ago.

Federer’s punishment for this incident: Disqualification? A fine? Loss of points? None of the above.

The incident was laughed off by all involved, including the ball boy. The commentators even stating he was lucky to be hit, as he can go home and tell his friends Roger Federer hit him with a tennis ball.

After Djokovic hit the line judge, commentators made no mention of how lucky she was to be hit in the throat by one of tennis’ greatest ever players. Despite Federer hitting the ball behind his back, arguably with more “negligent disregard for the consequences” than Djokovic, he was not disqualified from the tournament.

Despite the difference in reaction by ball boy hit by Federer and the line judge hit by Djokovic, with one laughing and the other dropping to the floor, arguably the offence was identical.

This poses the question, are the rules the same for everyone?

[Blue_true]

7. He is a jackass. Good, someone else will win. nt

[USALiberal]

23. +1000! nt

[Demovictory9]

8. video

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[North Shore Chicago]

12. Thank you

That was ugly, hope she will be okay.

[underpants]

20. He had empty stands to launch one into and hit in the general direction of ANYONE?

What a jerk

[LisaL]

21. It wasn't exactly "accidentally" as far as I can tell.

He wasn't trying to hit her specifically, but he send a ball in her direction.

[MiniMe]

30. I watched it live

He really didn't have any intent to hit her, it was just a really stupid thing to do. As the sportscasters said, he wasn't even looking that way. However, there are always people along the back wall, and you are taking a chance any time you hit a ball to the back wall.

[demmiblue]

11. Good... dumbass anti-vaxxer. n/t

[Cosmo Blues]

28. I was rooting against him before this

First I've always wanted him to denounce Milosevic, then the disregard for covid-19 tournament, I didn't even know about the Renegade Union. So you can imagine my response when this happened before my eyes

[gristy]

29. Welcome to DU!

[Cosmo Blues]

31. Thank you

Fellow tennis fan evidently

[cwydro]

35. He's a jerk; I've never liked him, but he sure is having a bad year.

I dont care whom he denounces or not - that’s not a tennis player’s duty.

[Cosmo Blues]

47. It's every human beings Duty

I'm not a shut up and dribble type person

[Codeine]

44. Good. He's a scumbag. nt

[awesomerwb1]

45. Hate the f-er

Saw him cheat too many times to like him. F him. Gonna start watching now

[Goodheart]

49. Novak's media reaction.

Apologized to the line judge, than said he is going to "turn all this into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and human being."

Say what you will, but that's classy.