World number one Novak Djokovic was disqualified from the US Open on Sunday after striking a lines official with a ball during his last-16 match.
Djokovic went 5-6 down in the first set to Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta when he hit a ball in the direction of the female official. It struck her in the throat and she could be heard gasping. Djokovic rushed over to check that she was okay and after a few minutes she got up and walked off the court.
Following around ten minutes of discussions with the tournament referee, the umpire declared that Carreno Busta had won by default. Djokovic shook hands with Carreno Busta before leaving the court.
The Serbian star is one of only a handful of players to be disqualified from a men’s singles tournament at a Grand Slam since John McEnroe was infamously tossed from the Australian Open in 1990.