Novak Djokovic apologizes in a long post on Instagram.
"This whole situation has made me very sad and empty," he writes a few hours after the almost unique scenes that took place in Flushing Meadows in New York on Sunday.
Immediately after the big favorite Djokovic lost a game in his own serve, which meant that the Spaniard Pablo Carreño Busta took the lead with 6-5 in the first set, it boiled over for the Serb.
The 33-year-old hit a ball in frustration and then very unlucky to hit the neck of a female line judge who screamed, collapsed and had difficulty breathing.
Repentant
A remorseful Djokovic immediately went to look for the line judge - but then it was already too late for the player.
Shortly afterwards, after deliberations between the judges, the news came that the world setter was disqualified and thus eliminated from the grand slam tournament already in the fourth round.
"The organizer told me that she (the judge) thankfully felt okay.
I'm extremely sorry for causing her such stress.
So unintentional.
So wrong, ”Djokovic describes the incident.
About the washing he writes:
"I have to examine myself and process my disappointment and let this be a lesson as I grow and develop as a player and as a person.
I apologize to the US Open and anyone associated with my behavior. "
Referee Sören Friemel agrees that Djokovic did not aim at the line referee intentionally, but that the washing up was clear because the world setter swung the ball away angrily and carelessly.
- She did significantly worse.
There was no other alternative, he explains the dishwashing, reports the news agency AFP.
Wilander questions the decision
A tough decision, thinks the Swedish tennis legend Mats Wilander who is an expert for Eurosport.
- I have never seen such a dramatic situation before, he says in the TV broadcast.
- When you see his swing, you can really question whether he should be washed.
He does not try to hit the ball hard, but should just hit it back towards the corner.
It is a very difficult decision.
Mats Wilander adds:
- How much bad luck is not that?
After a few minutes, the referee stood up and stepped off the court, seemingly recovered.
Punished with a fine
After the announcement that he was washed, Djokovic shook hands with Pablo Carreño Busta, but not with the referee, and stepped off the court.
About an hour later, the US Open announced on the tournament's website that, in addition to the disqualification, Novak Djokovic will be fined and will have to repay his prize money, which had reached $ 250,000, equivalent to approximately SEK 2.2 million.
In addition, he loses his earned ranking points.
CLIP: Novak Djokovic disqualified from US Open (September 6, 2020)
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Novak Djokovic is washed out of the US Open.
Photo: Bildbyrån