The incident occurred in the second set, with Djokovic leading 4-2. Van de Zandschulp hit the ball out, giving Djokovic the point. Immediately afterward, the 38-year-old player angrily swung his arm, hitting the ball forcefully to the left. The ball flew swiftly, narrowly missing the head of the ball girl sitting near the net. She had to duck to avoid it.

Djokovic's dangerous shot during his third-round men's singles match against Botic van de Zandschulp at the Australia Open in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia on the evening of 24/1. Photo: screenshot

Djokovic immediately raised his hand in apology and turned away after the shot. Commenting on Australian television, former world number one Jim Courier exclaimed, "A very dangerous situation, the ball flew right over her head."

Head umpire John Blom also stared at Djokovic after the incident, as a reminder. Commentator Todd Woodbridge noted that the umpire's gaze clearly showed his displeasure.

According to the rules, a player must not "violently, dangerously, or angrily hit, kick, or throw a ball" outside of a legitimate playing situation. Violations can result in a fine of up to 50,000 USD, or even direct disqualification if the umpire and tournament supervisor deem the behavior severe enough. In this case, Djokovic received no warning or penalty, as no one was hit by the ball.

Djokovic's careless moment. Video: compiled

The event reminded many of the US Open 2020, when Djokovic was disqualified in the fourth round for hitting a ball that struck a female line judge in the neck. At that time, the Serbian player immediately apologized and later admitted he felt sad and empty due to the unintentional action. In Melbourne this time, Courier commented that Djokovic's shot was even more powerful than the 2020 incident, and too close to the safety line.

Beyond the controversial incident, the match against Van de Zandschulp also had moments that worried fans about Djokovic. After winning the first two sets 6-3, 6-4, he faced issues in the third set when he slipped and fell on the court. The player, who holds 24 grand slam titles, requested medical attention before returning to play. Djokovic still managed to win the third set in a tie-break with a score of 7-6, concluding the match in three sets.

Throughout the match, Djokovic showed dissatisfaction with the spectators on several occasions. At one point, the umpire had to remind the crowd to maintain order. After the match, he cupped his ear towards the stands and mimed "playing the violin" with his racket.

This victory advances Djokovic to the fourth round of the Australia Open 2026, where he aims for his 25th career grand slam title, surpassing the record he currently shares with legend Margaret Court. Djokovic's opponent will likely be 20-year-old Czech talent Jakub Mensik.

Hoang An