Novak Djokovic narrowly avoided a potentially disastrous moment at the Australian Open after an angry swipe of the ball came dangerously close to a ballkid.
The incident occurred during his 2026 Australian Open match against Botic van de Zandschulp and immediately sparked debate among fans about how close the Serbian came to serious punishment.
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Novak Djokovic avoids punishment after ballkid scare
Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP via Getty Images
Video footage from the match showed Djokovic smashing the ball away in frustration, with it narrowly missing a ballkid positioned near the back of the court. Had the ball made contact, Djokovic could have faced a possible disqualification under Grand Slam rules.
Crucially for Djokovic, the chair umpire opted not to issue even a warning, allowing play to continue without interruption.
The moment drew instant comparisons to past incidents at major tournaments where players were defaulted for striking officials or ballkids with the ball.
Why Novak Djokovic escaped disqualification
Under Grand Slam regulations, players can be defaulted if they hit a ball in anger and it strikes an official, ballkid or spectator.
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In this case, the ball missed its unintended target by a narrow margin, giving officials no grounds to escalate the incident.
The lack of a warning suggested officials viewed the act as accidental rather than reckless, despite Djokovic’s visible frustration at the time. His quick return to focus and the absence of contact proved decisive.
While the moment passed without consequence, it served as a reminder of how fine the margins can be at the Australian Open, and how close even the most experienced players can come to jeopardising their tournament with a single lapse of judgment.
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