Roddick Blasts Djokovic Over Australian Open Ball Kid Incident
Tennis legend Andy Roddick has launched a scathing critique of Novak Djokovic after the ten-time Australian Open champion came perilously close to being defaulted from another grand slam tournament. The incident occurred during Djokovic's third-round victory over Botic van de Zandschulp at Melbourne Park.
A Moment of Frustration That Could Have Ended Badly
Midway through the second set, a visibly frustrated Djokovic wildly slapped a shot directly towards a ball kid positioned at the side of the court. This occurred immediately after van de Zandschulp had pushed a shot long, making the action appear completely unnecessary given Djokovic had already won the point and was leading by a set and 4-2 at the time.
The young ball kid had virtually no opportunity to react, barely flinching as the ball flew dangerously close to her head. Tennis experts agree that had the ball made contact, there was every likelihood Djokovic would have faced immediate disqualification from the tournament.
Djokovic's Response and History of Similar Incidents
The 24-time grand slam champion offered what appeared to be a half-hearted apology at the moment by raising his hand, but was more sincere during his post-match comments. "I apologise for that. That was not necessary," Djokovic stated. "In the heat of the moment ... I was lucky there. I'm sorry for causing any distress to the ball kid or anybody."
This is not the first time Djokovic has found himself in such controversy. He infamously received an instant disqualification during the 2020 US Open for striking a lineswoman with a ball hit in frustration.
Roddick's Strong Reaction on The Serve Podcast
Former world number one and US Open champion Andy Roddick expressed his astonishment while watching the incident unfold. "Novak was an inch away from not being in this competition anymore," Roddick remarked on The Serve podcast. "And now, all of a sudden, he's got a walkover and a fresh body. He hasn't had this fresh a body, this deep in a slam, in I don't know how long."
Roddick continued with his analysis: "He almost hit a person again. I was stunned. Watching it back I was like, 'oh my god it almost happened again.' This one was worse but I am happy that he wasn't kicked out of a tournament. That's an instant default, especially given the track record."
Comparing the Two Controversial Incidents
The American tennis great went on to explain why he considered this latest incident more serious than the 2020 US Open default. "Everyone was super pissed because in 2020 when he got defaulted at the US Open because he did the same thing, and this one in Australia, just think about this ... the one in Australia was way worse," Roddick asserted.
"He was looking forward. The one at the US Open, he hit it backwards. 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 like that. That was worse to me."
Djokovic's Path Forward in the Tournament
Following the incident, Djokovic received additional fortune when his scheduled fourth-round opponent, Jakub Mensik, withdrew from the tournament. This gave the Serbian champion extra recovery time ahead of his quarter-final match against Italian fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti.
The tennis world now watches closely as Djokovic continues his quest for an unprecedented eleventh Australian Open title, with many questioning whether his recent actions demonstrate a pattern of on-court behaviour that needs addressing.
