Novak Djokovic, the No. 1 men’s player and No. 1 seed, has been disqualified from the U.S. Open.
In a stunning turn of events on Sunday, the Serbian athlete defaulted from the fourth round of the U.S. Open after he accidentally hit a lineswoman with a ball in a fit of anger. Moments prior, on the second point, he had fallen to the ground after chasing a shot. He was seen clutching his left shoulder.
The lineswoman was hit in the throat and she dropped to the ground at the back of the court.
Then, Djokovic walked towards her to check on her condition and could be seen visibly shocked after realizing he had hit her.
Officials then discussed the incident for several minutes before making their decision to default Djokovic, who shook hands with Carreño Busta at the end.
Djokovic’s disqualification guarantees that there will be a first-time Grand Slam men’s singles champion at the U.S. Open. Carreño Busta advanced to the quarterfinals with the default.
It was Djokovic’s bid for an 18th Grand Slam title and a 26-0 streak in the 2020 season.
