Novak Djokovic’s excessive punishment is terrible for US Open

[Bartelby]

But do you agree that any such strike should warrant a disqualification, or only strikes that look bad at the time as judged by the umpire and/or referee? Isn't that the real question?

So it's ok to hit out of play balls and throw out of play racquets in any direction they choose and injure any number of people and just get docked a game and a paltry fine? I'm sure that will act as a serious deterrent!

 

[Mainad]

Seriously! The dehumanization of the hapless ball kids and linespersons is so pathetic and sad. Why, why must the tantrums and ego of players be indulged? No, they did the right thing. Whoever it is, even Novak or Fed or Serena, nobody gets to hit them when the ball is not in play, period.

You didn't seem to get the irony in the last sentence of my post. I agree with you completely.

 

[Mainad]

But do you agree that any such strike should warrant a disqualification, or only strikes that look bad at the time as judged by the umpire and/or referee? Isn't that the real question?

No, it's a cut and dried decision. If an out of play ball is struck and injures somebody, instant disqualification, no ifs and buts. It's been the case ever since the Henman incident at Wimbledon back in 1995.

 

[Lew II]

So it's ok to hit out of play balls and throw out of play racquets in any direction they choose and injure any number of people and just get docked a game and a paltry fine? I'm sure that will act as a serious deterrent!

A set.

 

[Mainad]

A set.

Nope, keep it as it is. It's a good rule and the only sure way to act as a deterrent.

 

[Dolgopolov85]

You didn't seem to get the irony in the last sentence of my post. I agree with you completely.

Oh no, I was agreeing with you and building on what you said. I know, that doesn't happen too often in a forum where people quote each other to argue.

 

[Dolgopolov85]

No, it's a cut and dried decision. If an out of play ball is struck and injures somebody, instant disqualification, no ifs and buts. It's been the case ever since the Henman incident at Wimbledon back in 1995.

And they said oh that was back then. Well, then, Nalby at Queens. 2012. How many years back is back then, then? The standard has not changed. It just doesn't happen very often that a player hits the linesperson/ballkid/chair umpire with the ball or the racquet and thank God for that.

 

[terribleIVAN]

The lack of malice and intention couldn’t have been clearer when you saw Djokovic’s face react in horror.

What the reporter forgets to mention is that Novak has repeatedly and consistently chosen to court disqualification many times in the past, throwing his racket, abusing ball boys, etc without suffering any consequences.

His luck ran out 2 days ago.

It's too bad, because he's worked hard to perfect his behavior, but old, bad habits have a hard time dying.

Tennis needs to collect these DQ instances, going back to Mac, Henman, Nalbandian, Shapo and now Novak,and show them to young players to educate them.

The Henman incident was so graphic youtube decided to censor it. That girl could have been blinded for life, or worse.

 

[Bartelby]

But the rule is not written like that. This is just an understanding. Officials 'may' disqualify. There is no 'must disqualify'.

Woodrow has even confirmed that the instant disqualification provision was abolished in favour of allowing for discretion.

No, it's a cut and dried decision. If an out of play ball is struck and injures somebody, instant disqualification, no ifs and buts. It's been the case ever since the Henman incident at Wimbledon back in 1995.

 

[blablavla]

You've never placed something habitually on the bedside table and not found it there because, just recently, you've placed it in the hall?

Consistency in courts is the key, not informational sheets on current practice. And they used lines people, in defiance of covid restrictions, due to their sponsors.

I'll quote a good friend of yours as an answer here:

These linespeople always stand in the same location, correct? If so, it is strange that he would hit the ball right back to her given his pinpoint precise control.

 

[blablavla]

But the rule is not written like that. This is just an understanding. Officials 'may' disqualify. There is no 'must disqualify'.

Woodrow has even confirmed that the instant disqualification provision was abolished in favour of allowing for discretion.

you can do better than this.
in school, you'd probably get an F or what is the worst mark in your country.

while you've done a good job reading the rules, you failed at incorporating past example like Henman at W for example.
probably all people involved in pro tennis knew what the sanction is going to be.
can you show us opinions of some former pro players, or coaches that condemn USO decision?
can you perhaps calculate the % of those who agree and those who think it was too harsh? I mean not casual keyboard warriors Nole fans, but people related to real life sport.

 

[van_Loederen]

But the rule is not written like that. This is just an understanding. Officials 'may' disqualify. There is no 'must disqualify'.

Woodrow has even confirmed that the instant disqualification provision was abolished in favour of allowing for discretion.

it would be hard to relax that reading or understanding.
this would put pressure on the victim to pretend it wasn't hurt much, or it would get in danger of being harassed by the player's fans afterwards (or of getting into other sorts of trouble with the player's entourage or friends or some employers etc).

a disqualification like this one is of course bad for the sport(competition), but will remain hard to avoid also in the future.

 

[mahesh69a]

can you show us opinions of some former pro players, or coaches that condemn USO decision?
can you perhaps calculate the % of those who agree and those who think it was too harsh? I mean not casual keyboard warriors Nole fans, but people related to real life sport.

All coaches and pro players have to tug the party line once the decision has been made by the referee because there are serious repercussions to coming out against a decision like this in our modern cancel culture.

If you conduct a survey among players and coaches across sports with guaranteeed anonymity and no retaliation, I think the results would surprise you.

 

[blablavla]

All coaches and pro players have to tug the party line once the decision has been made by the referee because there are serious repercussions to coming out against a decision like this in our modern cancel culture.

If you conduct a survey among players and coaches across sports with guaranteeed anonymity and no retaliation, I think the results would surprise you.

we live in a real world, so let's stay in the real world.

 

[mahesh69a]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1295327231623995393

If Djokovic had the skills of Svitolina here, we would not be having this discussion.

 

[skypadq]

why terrible for US OPEN ?
usta never care for novak djokovic
they only care roger , rafa and serena

 

[Tennis_Hands]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1295327231623995393

If Djokovic had the skills of Svitolina here, we would not be having this discussion.

Glorious, but the last one was close.

 

[Mike Lambresi]

The fact is only Novak Fans disagree with the decision.
Anyone that knows about tennis and is not biased can see that.
Suck it up.

 

[blablavla]

The fact is only Novak Fans disagree with the decision.
Anyone that knows about tennis and is not biased can see that.
Suck it up.

In fact only a few fans disagree. I'm not even sure that they are fans. Some of them are fans of arguing for sake of arguing and when there is nothing else to argue or troll, they will argue that white is black and orange is green

 

[40L0VE]

As one motor racing F1 Team boss said over the weekend

"The decision(s) taken were highly unusual but absolutely within the rules."

 

[Robert F]

You're saying Djokovic is that awful at aiming a ball at his intended target? LOL

Yes. When we are tired and frustrated we have less motor control and make stupid mistakes. We see pros miss easy shots all the time. If he was aiming for her wasn't he taking a lot of risk of getting kicked out even if he just nicked her arm? I think it was a poor decision to blindly shoot the ball back there. Agree with the DQ.

 

[Deleted member 744633]

Good riddance, the tournament is better off without him and is actually getting interesting now. A maiden gs champion finally, how refreshing. [emoji462][emoji1303]

Srdjan working hard on the victimhood narrative now, can’t wait to hear his words of wisdom. [emoji57]

I'm already dreading that. I just hope Srdjan keeps his f*ucking trap shut for once.

 

[wangs78]

The punishment (DQ) was not excessive. It's perfectly within the rules and has precedent. What is excessive is how much of the sports media is characterizing Djokovic as a villain for this when it was completely unintentional and it's not like Nole was crushing a ball recklessly, throwing a chair or kicking something like Nalbandian did. He was not throwing a terrible tantrum. It was pure bad luck that his ball hit that woman in the throat. If anything Djokovic was a victim of bad luck and that's that.

 

[Deleted member 744633]

It's not that really. It's about why did he hit a ball towards a lines person? They don't even handle the balls. Was he not aware?

Machan, you say it's not that really and then proceed to ask the exact same question as @Raul_SJ

 

[uscwang]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1295327231623995393

If Djokovic had the skills of Svitolina here, we would not be having this discussion.

Blm

 

[mikeeeee]

This thread is hilarious. You took the time to write a novel about what happened (not to mention over 9000 posts in other threads) and in a month, literally no one will care and will only be remembered when meme's are posted here and when they bring it up at the next USO.

Looked what happened last year at the finals with Serena. She made a fool of herself and it had absolutely 0 impact on anything. Even Osaka doesn't get any (wrongful) hate for not winning the title outright.

Your savior Novak will win multiple more slams, don't get so mad.

 

[sureshs]

Only ESPN’s Cliff Drysdale summoned the courage to go against the USTA. Drysdale said this wasn’t the time or place to enforce this rule this strictly during a pandemic and in a sport that was shelved for five months.

I have great respect for Cliffie, one of the tennis players of his time who boycotted Davis Cup in SA because of apartheid.

But this statement makes no sense. What has a pandemic got to do with it, other than the fact that injured people will be an additional burden on health care at this time?

 

[sureshs]

Machan, you say it's not that really and then proceed to ask the exact same question as @Raul_SJ

It happens Machhie. Sometimes when hitting an overhead smash, I will be thinking "don't hit the guy" and then will end up aiming right at him. Objects attract the attention of the mind compared to emptiness.

Its roots go back to our evolutionary history. Our ancestors had to learn to pay more attention to a lion than a patch of grass in the Savannah. Djokovic wanted to hit the ball somewhere out of frustration, and focused on a human rather the backboard.

 

[Deleted member 744633]

It happens Machhie. Sometimes when hitting an overhead smash, I will be thinking "don't hit the guy" and then will end up aiming right at him. Objects attract the attention of the mind compared to emptiness.

Its roots go back to our evolutionary history. Our ancestors had to learn to pay more attention to a lion than a patch of grass in the Savannah. Djokovic wanted to hit the ball somewhere out of frustration, and focused on a human rather the backboard.

I donno if you're writing in jest but it makes a lot of sense to me Great post machan!

 

[Blade0324]

The punishment for Djoker was completely spot on. He did the crime so he has to accept the punishment. It doesn't help his cause that he comes off as an arrogant D Bag and almost no one likes him. Everyone would be better off if he would just go away and never be heard from again. He will never be one of the greats no matter what his accomplishments are as he is unpopular and not a true champion.

 

[Lebsta]

I agree, for most of it.

I feel bad for the young guy who will be holding the trophy this Sunday. Not only he will receive the trophy with an empty crowd, but these other facts will be held against him forever.

Federer out due to injury
Nadal out due to covid
Djokovic out due to unthikable circumstances.

That's what it'll take Zverev, Medevedev or Thiem (or sb else) to finally win a first slam. Too bad ...

This is the unfortunate truth on Sunday. If one of them wins , then they'll have to really prove it in 2021 which weirdly is how it should be.

 

[augustobt]

It's great for the US Open to have the chance of having Pablo Carreno Busta on two semi-finals in its history books. I'm going to have a hard time explaining that to my son.

 

[tennis24x7]

What would have been the punishment being docked the 1st set that he was about to lose?

Could have docked him 2 sets and said play on

 

[PrinceMoron]

He got a bye.

Just not the type he usually enjoys


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[Deleted member 771911]

Absolutely it is bad for the USO. That is why I admire their decision. They actually shot themselves in the foot to keep their integrity. You do not see that much in the world, especially somewhere as corporate as the USO.

 

[Bartelby]

On the other hand, the USO doesn't seem to care if athletes use the occasion to promote the political cause of the day in contravention of their usual stipulation against such.

Is this what people classify as 'integrity'?