Novak Djokovic narrowly avoids Australian Open disqualification after striking ball in anger

MELBOURNE, Australia — Novak Djokovic narrowly avoided a possible disqualification from the Australian Open after a ball he smacked away in frustration almost hit a ball kid.

Djokovic, a 10-time champion at the tournament, won a point in the second set of his third-round match against Botic van de Zandschulp when the Dutchman sent a shot long. Despite winning the point, Djokovic smashed a forehand in anger, which barely avoided hitting a ball kid crouched close to the net, who ducked as it travelled towards her.

Djokovic was defaulted from the U.S. Open in 2020 when a ball he struck in anger during a fourth-round match against Pablo Carreño Busta hit a line judge in the throat.

According to the 2026 Grand Slam rulebook: “Players shall not violently, dangerously or with anger hit, kick or throw a tennis ball within the precincts of the tournament site except in the reasonable pursuit of a point during a match (including warm-up). Violation of this section shall subject a player to fine up to $50,000 for each violation. For the purposes of this rule, abuse of balls is defined as intentionally hitting a ball out of the enclosure of the court, hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences.

“The referee in consultation with the Grand Slam supervisor may declare a default for either a single violation of this code or pursuant to the point penalty schedule (where the first offence is a warning, the second is a point penalty, the third is a game penalty).”

On this occasion Djokovic escaped punishment, which conforms to tennis authorities’ apparently outcome-based application of ball abuse rules. In numerous cases in recent years, including Lorenzo Musetti at last year’s French Open, Alex Michelsen in the 2024 Winston-Salem final, and Stefanos Tsitsipas at Wimbledon 2022, players have hammered balls in anger and not been defaulted because no one has been hurt. In Michelsen’s case, and when Térence Atmane got the same treatment at the 2024 French Open, the ball did hit a spectator, but because they said they were OK, nothing was done.

Had Djokovic hit the ball slightly to the left and struck the ball kid, it’s hard to believe the officials would have been so lenient. Deciding whether or not to default players based on outcomes they cannot fully control leaves tennis in a situation where it will face legitimate accusations of inconsistency the next time an umpire’s decision means that someone is defaulted for a similar or even lesser offence because someone has been hurt.

At Roland Garros three years ago, doubles player Miyu Kato and her partner Aldila Sutjiadi were defaulted after Kato accidentally hit a ball kid in the neck when returning a ball to her — not even swatting it in frustration — because the ball kid was in tears.

Djokovic ended up losing the game but winning the match, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(5). He is bidding to win a 25th Grand Slam title and break the record he jointly holds with Margaret Court.

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