Posted on 09/06/2020 2:51:29 PM PDT by EdnaMode
Novak Djokovic was defaulted in the fourth round of the 2020 US Open on Sunday after hitting a ball in frustration that struck a line judge on the court at Arthur Ashe Stadium. That line judge was hit in the throat and had to be helped off the court after appearing to have trouble breathing.
Djokovic, a 17-time Grand Slam champion, was disqualified from the tournament. Here are some looks at the incident:
The US Open released this statement shortly after Djokovic was defaulted:
In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook, following his actions of intentionally hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court, or hitting a ball with negligent disregard of the consequences, the US Open referee defaulted Novak Djokovic from the 2020 US Open. Because he was defaulted, Djokovic will lose all ranking points earned at the US Open and will be fined prize money won at the tournament in addition to any or all fines levied with respect to the offending incident.
The default came after several minutes where Djokovic pleaded his case to tournament officials that he did not intend to hit the line judge. It was the second time he hit a ball in frustration after a point in the first set of his match against Pablo Carreño Busta, and this one came after Busta broke his serve at 5-5. Carreño Busta now moves on to the quarterfinals.
After the match, Carreño Busta told reporters he was stunned by what he saw. "I was in shock, I never expected this moment playing against Novak, he said. "When they [were] talking [at] the net, I just tried to be focused in case we had to continue playing ... I needed to be ready in case we had to continue."
(Excerpt) Read more at cbssports.com ...
You really made me laugh with the Iditarod.
Human judges are completely unnecessary.
Even my rudimentary AI skills could write a program to rule on tennis as there are at most 4 people, one ball, well defined and easily monitored and measured boundary lines, and instantiatable rules.
Rulings about ill temper could be from a judges stand in the broadcasting booth.
Great point! Our world has gone CrAzY!
Lule Alzado (RIP) had the best defender trash line ever: “I am going to kill your family and let you live!”
No place for faint on the couch snowflakes like today’s players. Today’s pansies would not 5 minutes back then.
There was a doctor on the radio the other day and he said rage and temper like that... road rage, etc... are cause in men by a lack of testosterone. Too much estrogen. A man’s body and brain are made for testosterone, not for an abundance of estrogen. He treats them with testosterone! Says it WORKS! So tell that to the next idiot road rager!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a load of horseshit. He showed no anger and looked like he was returning the ball to the judge and didn’t even hit it hard.
Typical overemotional female reaction.
I believe you are correct. Djokovic did not seem angry — at most I’d say he was slightly peeved at himself, perhaps — but he zipped* that ball back toward the line judge without looking. As in many other situations, common carelessness usually has no consequence... ...until someone gets nicked.
*People who’ve not been on the receiving end of a wrist flick by even a semi-pro male tennis player don’t quite comprehend what the ball velocity is like. Some feel the line judge overreacted (as about 1/3 the population would overreact, IMO.) But, though small, there was SOME real possibility of injury. Certainly hitting a judge with a ball in this type situation would be an unnecessary disruption of sorts. Therefor the rule.
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