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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsNovak Djokovic has defaulted from the US Open after inadvertently striking a linesperson with a ball
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
(33,643 posts)That's pretty friggin' major.
spooky3
(34,467 posts)The officials did the right thing.
monmouth4
(9,709 posts)malaise
(269,157 posts)I missed the live action
underpants
(182,868 posts)One report said he was pissed another said it was an accident - could be both.
a kennedy
(29,699 posts)BUT he did hit her in the throat, AND HES GONE FROM THE TOURNAMENT.
underpants
(182,868 posts)Like Sampras was when he accumulated his majors totals. This should be Jokes time to reign - post Nadal and Federer basically.
I cant 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
(29,699 posts)BlueMTexpat
(15,372 posts)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/
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
(29,699 posts)BlueMTexpat
(15,372 posts)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
(51,308 posts)Hes not having such a great year lol.
Glad shes ok. My mom called lines for years, and its not for the faint of heart.
malaise
(269,157 posts)Hit a ball in anger - if it hits someone you're gone
monmouth4
(9,709 posts)malaise
(269,157 posts)CincyDem
(6,385 posts)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
(6,385 posts)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
(1,385 posts)Hit one off to the side, overhand, hit a sound man.
CincyDem
(6,385 posts)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
(34,467 posts)Cosmo Blues
(2,491 posts)It bounced off the wall before it hit the guy then the guy said it was nothing
North Shore Chicago
(3,321 posts)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
(1,385 posts)North Shore Chicago
(3,321 posts)OneBlueDotBama
(1,385 posts)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
(3,321 posts)The prima donnas are treated special.
spooky3
(34,467 posts)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
(2,491 posts)Brad Gilbert is an idiot
BlueMTexpat
(15,372 posts)underpants
(182,868 posts)cwydro
(51,308 posts)Should be interesting now with none of the top guys in.
cwydro
(51,308 posts)Maybe one day hell learn some humility.
I remember one of the top players smacking a ball boy with a ball some years back, but Ive forgotten who.
North Shore Chicago
(3,321 posts)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.
Federers 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
(31,261 posts)USALiberal
(10,877 posts)Demovictory9
(32,472 posts)North Shore Chicago
(3,321 posts)That was ugly, hope she will be okay.
underpants
(182,868 posts)What a jerk
LisaL
(44,974 posts)He wasn't trying to hit her specifically, but he send a ball in her direction.
MiniMe
(21,718 posts)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
(36,875 posts)Cosmo Blues
(2,491 posts)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
(10,667 posts)Cosmo Blues
(2,491 posts)Fellow tennis fan evidently
cwydro
(51,308 posts)I dont care whom he denounces or not - thats not a tennis players duty.
Cosmo Blues
(2,491 posts)I'm not a shut up and dribble type person
Codeine
(25,586 posts)awesomerwb1
(4,268 posts)Saw him cheat too many times to like him. F him. Gonna start watching now
Goodheart
(5,336 posts)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.