Novak Djokovic survived an emotional moment in the third round of the Australian Open while facing Botic van de Zandschulp. Late in the second set, the frustrated Serb struck a ball that flew dangerously close to a ball girl crouched near the net. It nearly missed hitting her by a few inches. Had it struck the ball girl, Djokovic would have been disqualified, like he was at the 2020 US Open. However, he survived, and the umpire also didn’t issue any warning.
On Sunday, Andy Roddick talked about this incident and compared it to Djokovic’s 2020 US Open disqualification, when he accidentally hit a line judge with a ball that was not in play. On his “Served” podcast, the former US Open champion explained why the 2020 US Open moment was even worse than the no-disqualification at the 2026 Australian Open.
“He got defaulted at the US Open for doing exactly the same thing,” Roddick said. “The one at the Australian Open was way worse. At the US Open, he hit it backwards and it’s a one-in-a-million shot that it hits someone in the throat. I’ve done what he did at the US Open a thousand times. This one, where he pulls it and slaps it and it hits a ball kid, that would have been worse to me. You put yourself in a position to have a judgement levied on you.
“Very unlucky at the US Open. Like, it wasn’t as if it was full of malice. I don’t think there was malice here, but was it was regrettable and stupid. Yes. He got lucky here, 100 per-cent, as he said. I was stunned watching it, but I’m glad he has not been kicked out of the tournament. That would have been an instant default. No umpire would not default him for hitting the side ball kid.”
Novak Djokovic went on to beat van de Zandschulp 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 to advance into the fourth round of the Australian Open. In doing so, he also became the first player in tennis history to reach 400 Grand Slam match wins.
Novak Djokovic Accepts “Lucky” No Disqualification Moment
In the press conference after the win, Novak Djokovic was asked about the incident and the 24-time Grand Slam champion acknowledged his mistake, saying he got lucky there.
“Yeah, I apologise for that,” Djokovic told reporters. “That was not necessary. In the heat of the moment, yeah, I was lucky there. And I’m sorry for causing any distress to the ball kid or anybody.”
Djokovic was scheduled to face 16th-seeded Jakub Mensik in the fourth round. Mensik has withdrawn from the Australian Open, earning the Serb an automatic entry into the quarterfinals.
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