Novak Djokovic Apologizes For His 'Behavior' After Shocking Disqualification From US Open

Novak Djokovic has broken his silence and issued an apology for accidentally hitting a line judge with a tennis ball, leading to his disqualification from the ongoing U.S. Open. The Serbian addressed the matter on his official Instagram account, saying that he is sorry for his “behavior.”

The 33-year-old Tennis ace posted a lengthy message on the social media platform and revealed that the whole situation has left him really “sad and empty.” The world no. 1 wrote that he immediately checked on the linesperson and asked her if she was feeling okay or not. He also apologized to the linesperson for causing her “stress” after inadvertently hitting her with the ball.

Djokovic accepted his mistake and said the incident that took place on the court was “wrong” and should not have happened.

“The whole situation has left me really sad and empty. I checked on the linesperson and the tournament told me that thank god she is feeling ok. I am extremely sorry to have caused her such stress. So unintended. So wrong. I am not disclosing her name to respect her privacy,” Djokovic wrote on his Instagram page.

The 17-time Grand Slam champion also addressed his disqualification from the event and explained that he’ll turn this unfortunate incident into a “life lesson” for his betterment. He apologized to the U.S. Open Tennis Championships for his behavior and also expressed gratitude toward his fans for supporting him throughout the tournament.

“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. I apologize to the US Open Tennis Championships and everyone associated for my behavior. I am very grateful to my team, and my family for being my support, and my fans for always being there with me. Thank you, and I am so sorry,” Djokovic wrote.

Djokovic’s apology comes after he was disqualified from the 2020 edition of the U.S. Open for hitting the line judge with a ball during a match against Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta, The Guardian reported.

The No. 1 seed dropped serve and fell behind 6-5 in the first set. In anger, Djokovic responded by striking the ball in the direction of the line judge and accidentally hit her on the throat. The match officials had to step in and tell Djokovic that he has been “disqualified” from the tournament, according to the Grand Slam rule book.

As a result, he would also lose all the points that he earned during the tournament. He will also forfeit his prize money from the event.

Djokovic joins John McEnroe, Jeff Tarango, Carsten Arriens, Serena Williams, and many more on the list of Tennis stars who have been disqualified from various tournaments due to on-field misconduct.