Novak Djokovic’s comeback tour isn’t going exactly to plan.
Footage from the world No. 1’s Serbia Open loss to Russia’s Andrey Rublev on Sunday show Djokovic’s racket flying out of his hand toward a ball boy. Fans and analysts are scratching their heads to determine whether the Serbian’s racket throw was intentional or not.
After losing a point in the match, Djokovic’s racket was sent spiraling toward the ball boy, who deftly dodged the projectile. Clips show that the racket was thrown from well behind the baseline to the ball boy’s location near the net. Footage from other angles make it appear as though Djokovic lost control of his racket as he attempted to return Rublev’s ground stroke.
Tennis reporter Ben Rothenberg wrote in a now-deleted tweet “Bad news is that he, like others on ATP, still has a real problem with launching reckless projectiles in anger that hit/nearly hit folks.”
While the circumstances surrounding the racket through remain murky, Djokovic has a long history of racket abuse.
The 34-year-old was criticized for his flame out at the Tokyo Olympics last summer when he launched his racket into the empty stands and smashed another following his bronze medal match defeat at the hands of Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta.
In 2020, the 20-time Grand Slam champion, was disqualified from the U.S. Open after hurling a tennis ball and hitting a line judge in the neck.
Rublev clinched the match and the Serbia Open crown 6-2, 6-7 (4-7), 6-0, denying Djokovic his first title of the year.
The top-ranked player has has only competed three times since his contentious deportation from Australia in January. In his previous two tournaments, Djokovic was eliminated in the quarterfinals at the Dubai Open and in the second round of the Monte-Carlo Masters. Djokovic is working toward defending his French Open title.
“Things are progressing slowly but surely, Paris is the big goal and hopefully by Paris I’ll be ready,” Djokovic said. “I apologize because of the way the third set unfolded. It’s an individual sport, when something fails, the engine can’t work.
Djokovic is considering boycotting Wimbledon this year due to the tournament’s ban on all Russian and Belarusian players due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
