Novak Djokovic narrowly avoided disqualification for the second time in his Grand Slam career at the Australian Open. During his third-round match against Botic van de Zandschulp, Djokovic angrily hit a ball towards a ball girl at the net, narrowly missing her head.
If the ball had hit the girl, umpire John Blom would have had to disqualify Djokovic, as had happened in the 2020 US Open when he hit a line judge with a ball. Djokovic apologized and continued the match, which he won in straight sets as he pursues his 11th Australian Open title.
Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash commented that Djokovic was extremely close to being defaulted, emphasizing the speed and proximity of the incident. Djokovic later acknowledged his luck in winning the match in straight sets, attributing his success to observing his opponent’s arm struggle and adjusting his gameplay accordingly.
With his eyes set on a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title, Djokovic expressed satisfaction with his performance in the tournament so far but remained cautious, having learned from past experiences of getting injured after early successes. He recognized the talent of younger players like Alcaraz and Sinner but maintained his competitive spirit, believing that anything can happen on the court.