Spanish tennis star Rafael Jodar defends himself as incident with ballgirl at French Open goes viral

Spanish tennis star Rafael Jodar has issued a passionate defence of himself after it appeared he shoved a ballgirl at the French Open.

Footage of the incident has gone viral on social media but Jodar insists he did not touch the girl during his victory over American Alex Michelsen on Friday.

The incident happened between sets when Jodar was particularly animated.

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He threw a bottle of water into his box when he was marching off the court and the ballgirl crossed his path.

As he threw up his hand, she stumbled back, and legends such as Martina Navratilova were quick to frown upon the situation.

However, it is unclear if there was any contact as Jodar also appeared to be gesturing to the person in the box — who he later said was his father — with his left hand at the same time as he passed by the girl.

“I didn’t touch her,” he said after the third round match which he won, 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.

“No, no, no. I could never do that.

“I didn’t push her or anything. I was telling my dad to give me the things that he was going to give me after a toilet break when I was coming back.

“She was in the middle, so I think she was trying to get out of the way. She was going backwards, but I think she, like, fell, but not because I push(ed) her.”

Jodar said the ballgirl’s feet had become tangled in the court cover.

“It was right behind her. So when she was walking backwards, she fell with that,” he said.

“I appreciate all the work that the ballkids are doing.

“I know it’s difficult with the heat and the conditions to stay there, so I appreciate. I could never, you know, push a ballkid.”

Despite his insistence that he did not push the girl — and with slo-mo video appearing to be on his side — fans were still unimpressed.

“Even if there was no physical contact (which is debatable), the way he aggressively marched towards her without adjusting his path says everything. He saw her and still didn’t care. People defending him are wild,” one fan blasted on social media.

And another: “He still looks like he’s being a jerk.”

And another: “He did not push her, but he was very aggressive and gestured rudely and dismissively toward her, giving her no way. It wasn’t physical, but it was bad enough.”

With the win, the 27th seed has progressed to the fourth round of a major for the first time.

- With AP

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