Novak Djokovic Disqualified From U.S. Open After Accidentally Hitting an Official

Novak Djokovic has issued an apology after he was disqualified from the 2020 U.S. Open for accidentally hitting an official with a tennis ball.

The 17-time Grand Slam winner defaulted from the fourth round of the tournament Sunday, September 6, after he hit a ball in frustration and it struck a lineswoman in the throat during his match against fellow tennis player Pablo Carreno Busta.

A video of the incident sees the official falling to the ground in pain and gasping for air before Djokovic rushes to help her. Although the incident was unintentional, the tennis pro's actions resulted in his disqualification and his chance to win his fourth U.S. Open title.

Tournament referee Soeren Friemel confirmed that Djokovic will also be fined $10,000 for the incident and likely face an additional fine for not attending his post-match press conference. 

Djokovic later released a public statement via Instagram, writing, “This whole situation has left me really sad and empty. I checked on the lines person and the tournament told me that thank God she is feeling ok. I'm extremely sorry to have caused her such stress. So unintended. So wrong.”

Djokovic continued, “As for the disqualification, I need to go back within and work on my disappointment and turn this all into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and human being.” He opted to not disclose the lineswoman's name to protect her privacy. 

The 33-year-old concluded his post by apologizing to the U.S. Open for his “behavior” before thanking his team, family, and fans for “always being there with me.”

Novak Djokovic's disqualification follows a controversial year for the athlete, including his anti-vaccination views, his decision to host an Eastern European tennis tournament in Serbia in June amid the global COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a video of him and several other players dancing in a crowded night club.

Originally Appeared on Glamour