Novak Djokovic came within inches of repeating his unfortunate Grand Slam history at the Australian Open.
Djokovic, who played unseeded Botic van de Zandsschulp on Saturday, earned a point in the second set when his opponent rallied and left the ball too long. The 10-time Australian Open champion was still so frustrated that he smashed the ball sideways.
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Replays showed he hit the ball girl, who was crouching by the net, by several inches.
Djokovic apologized for the incident while speaking to reporters after the match, which he won 6-3, 6-4, 7-6.
“I apologize for that. In the heat of the moment, it wasn’t necessary. Yeah, I was lucky out there, and I’m sorry for the pain I caused the ball kids or anyone.”
The issue is reminiscent of what happened to Djokovic at the 2020 US Open. Djokovic was so angry that he hit the ball and hit the linesman in the throat. He was quickly eliminated from the tournament, ending his winning streak at 26 to start the 2020 season.
Had Djokovic hit the ball girl, a code of conduct section in the 2026 Grand Slam rulebook would have given tournament umpire Wayne McEwen the power to fault again.
“A player shall not, during a match (including warm-up), strike, kick, or throw a tennis ball in a violent, dangerous manner, or in anger on the grounds of a tournament venue, except to reasonably obtain points. In the event of a violation, the player shall be subject to a fine of up to $50,000 for each violation. Additionally, if such violation occurs during a match (including warm-up), the player shall be penalized according to the Points Penalty Schedule. (If a player receives a warning, then a point penalty, then a game penalty).
“The Referee, in consultation with the Grand Slam Supervisor, may declare a single violation of this Regulation or a non-compliance in accordance with the Points Penalty Schedule.
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Avoiding a bye allowed Djokovic to keep playing and claim an unprecedented 400th Grand Slam win. Roger Federer has the next highest score with 369, and only eight players (Djokovic, Federer, Rafael Nadal, Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi, Ivan Lendl, Pete Sampras and Andy Murray) have reached 200 points.
Djokovic advanced to face 16th seed Jakub Mensik in the fourth round. If he wins there, he will face either No. 5 Lorenzo Musetti or No. 9 Taylor Fritz in the quarterfinals, and No. 2 seed and BetMGM Tournament favorite Jannik Sinner will aim to advance to the semifinals.
