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Agence France-Presse

Novak Djokovic was sensationally disqualified from the US Open on Sunday after striking a woman lines official in the throat with a ball.
The world No 1 went 5-6 down in the first set to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta when he hit the ball in disgust in the direction of the official.
LATEST: Djokovic apologises after hitting lines judge
Djokovic appeared to be looking away from the official at the time, but he hit the ball with considerable force and when it struck her she could be heard gasping and coughing.
The official fell to the floor of the Arthur Ashe court clutching her throat.

HOLY CRAP. Djokovic defaulted after he inadvertently hits a ball and strikes a line judge in the neck. She had to leave. pic.twitter.com/BECdydrKFw
— Mark Armstrong (@ArmstrongABC11) September 6, 2020

Djokovic rushed over to check that she was OK. He put his hand on her shoulder as she appeared to be struggling to catch her breath.
After a few minutes she got up and walked off the court.
Following around 10 minutes of discussions with a rules official, the umpire declared that Carreno Busta had won by default.
Djokovic then shook hands with Carreno Busta but not with the official in the umpire’s chair as he left the court looking bewildered.
The Serbian star is only the third player in Grand Slam history to be disqualified out of a men’s singles tournament following John McEnroe at the Australian Open in 1990 and Stefan Koubek at the French Open in 2000.
‘This takes the cake’: Kyrgios hits out at Djokovic ‘stupidity’
Rivals and former players reacted with shock after the disqualification.
Germany’s Alexander Zverev had words of sympathy for Djokovic, describing the disqualification as “very unfortunate”.
“He hit a tennis ball. It’s very unfortunate that, you know, he hit the line judge, and especially where it hit her,” Zverev said.
“There is a rule in place for it. I think the supervisors and all of them are just doing their job. Very unlucky for Novak. He’s going to be a little bit upset about it. If he would have hit it anywhere else, if it would have landed anywhere else, we are talking about a few inches, he would have been fine.”

Former women’s world number one Tracy Austin said the disqualification was justified.
“Right call! Stunning to watch this unfold. Hope lines person ok...#crazyturnofevents,” Austin wrote on Twitter.
Djokovic had been chasing an 18th Grand Slam title at the Billie Jean King US National Tennis Centre.
He was hoping to close the gap on Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, both absent from the tournament, in the race for the all-time men’s Slam singles title record.
Djokovic is on 17, with Nadal on 19 and Federer on 20.


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US Open (tennis)

Novak Djokovic disqualified from US Open after hitting lineswoman with ball

Novak Djokovic of Serbia and a tournament official tend to a linesperson who was struck with a ball by Djokovic on Sunday. Photo: Danielle Parhizkaran/USA Today

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, shakes hands with Pablo Carreno Busta, of Spain, after defaulting the match during the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships, Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020, in New York. Djokovic inadvertently hit a line judge with a ball after hitting the ball in reaction to losing a point to Carreno Busta. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

US Open: Novak Djokovic apologises after being disqualified for hitting line judge

Novak Djokovic checks on the line judge he hit with the ball, leading to his exit from the US Open. Photo: EPA

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Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during his match against Croatia's Borna Coric in the Adria Tour. Photo: Reuters

FILE - In this Nov. 22, 2019, file photo, Serbia's Novak Djokovic, left, and teammate Viktor Troicki play against Russia's Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev during the Davis Cup quarterfinal doubles match in Madrid, Spain. Another tennis player has tested positive for the coronavirus after taking part in an exhibition series organized by Novak Djokovic in Serbia and Croatia. Viktor Troicki said Tuesday, June 23, 2020, that he and his pregnant wife have both been diagnosed with the virus. The former top-20 player from Serbia played against Djokovic in Belgrade during the first part of the two-leg tour.(AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)

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Serbia’s Novak Djokovic kisses the trophy after winning the 2020 Australian Open. Photo: Reuters

Photo taken Oct. 6, 2019, shows Novak Djokovic of Serbia playing against John Millman of Australia in the final of the Japan Open tennis tournament in Tokyo. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Naomi Osaka throws her racquet in her US Open match against Marta Kostyuk. Photo: EPA

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Top seed Karolina Pliskova has been knocked out of the US Open in round two. Photo: AP

Caroline Garcia, of France, reacts after defeating Karolina Pliskova, of the Czech Republic, during the second round of the US Open tennis championships, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2020, in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Sport

Tennis


World No 1 tennis player struck ball in disgust while down in first set to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta
Djokovic appeared to be looking away, but ball hit official in throat, and she fell to the ground gasping and coughing



World No 1 tennis player struck ball in disgust while down in first set to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta.
