Title favorite Novak Djokovic was sensationally defaulted from the US Open after hitting a line decide with a ball.The highest seed and 17-time grand slam champion had simply dropped serve to path Spanish opponent Pablo Carreno Busta 6-5 within the opening set of their fourth-round match on Arthur Ashe Stadium.He hit a ball behind him in annoyance that hit a feminine line decide. A prolonged dialogue adopted between event officers and Djokovic because the Serbian argued his case to no avail.There was no query Djokovic didn’t intend to hit the road decide, and the ball was not hit notably exhausting, however it was clear instantly that the lady was harm, with the Serbian dashing over to verify on her situation.He pleaded his case at size earlier than accepting his destiny, accumulating his rackets and strolling off the courtroom.The choice will ship shockwaves via the game. Djokovic received his seventeenth slam singles title in Australia and was an amazing favorite to make it 18 in New York having not misplaced a match all season.Tim Henman was disqualified from Wimbledon in 1995 for hitting ballgirl Caroline Corridor (Fiona Hanson/PA)Canadian Denis Shapovalov was defaulted throughout a Davis Cup tie in opposition to Nice Britain in 2017 after smashing a ball in anger that hit umpire Arnaud Gabas within the eye.Tim Henman, in the meantime, was disqualified from Wimbledon 25 years in the past for hitting a ball lady with a ball throughout a doubles match, whereas David Nalbandian kicked an promoting hoarding in the course of the Queen’s ultimate in 2012, injuring a line decide, and was defaulted.Novak Djokovic speaks with the umpire after hitting a line decide (Seth Wenig/AP)Henman added: “I bear in mind going again to the locker room in a state of shock after which going into the press convention.“It was in all probability one of many busiest press conferences I’ve ever been into and the primary query was: ‘How do you are feeling, the primary particular person in 120 years to be disqualified at Wimbledon’. I used to be shocked, I used to be embarrassed and I used to be very disillusioned.”A consequence of Djokovic’s disqualification is that, for the primary time since Marin Cilic received the US Open title in 2014, there will likely be a brand new males’s grand slam champion.Fifth seed Alexander Zverev, who eased into the final eight with a 6-2 6-2 6-1 victory over Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, mentioned he was in shock.The German mentioned: “He hit a tennis ball. It’s very unlucky that he hit the road decide, and particularly the place it hit her. There’s a rule in place for it. I feel the supervisors and all of them are simply doing their job. However very unfortunate for Novak.“I don’t know what to say. I’m just a little bit in shock proper now.”An announcement from event organisers learn: “In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook, following his actions of deliberately hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly inside the courtroom, or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the implications, the US Open event referee defaulted Novak Djokovic from the 2020 US Open.“As a result of he was defaulted, Djokovic will lose all rating factors earned on the US Open and will likely be fined the prize cash received on the event along with all or any fines levied with respect to the offending incident.”Djokovic will face one other wonderful for not doing a press convention. Quickly after the incident, the 33-year-old was pictured getting right into a automotive and leaving the location.
