There was quite a bit of discussion about the warning Novak Djokovic received during the first set of Saturday’s Doha final against Andy Murray when the Serb aimed a ball at his coaching box and it inadvertently grazed a spectator.
Those who watched the match on Tennis TV got a decidedly anti-Djokovic take on the incident. “I think the umpire’s being lenient,” said the commentator. “Because that was done in anger. And I’m not sure he’s learning his lessons either.” Later, they wondered if Djokovic shouldn't be disqualified for his actions. That didn't happen, but Djokovic was handed a fine on Sunday.
Note #1: Reportedly the woman in the crowd who was grazed by the ball in the shoulder was asked about it by a Tennis TV reporter and she said something to the effect of “it was no big deal.”
Note #2: Djokovic did not know of his fine before he gave the below press conference.
After the final Djokovic was asked several questions about the incident. He said he knows he has to be more careful in the future. He had a similar incident at the World Tour Finals last November in London, where he tapped a ball towards his box, intending for it to hit Boris Becker (or so we think). He was angry to have to field questions about it on that day, but on Sunday he admitted that maybe something needs to change in the way he airs out frustration on the court.
Here’s some of the transcript:
Q. Did you feel you were fortunate not to have something more serious?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Fortunate or unfortunate, depends from what perspective you're looking at. I definitely didn't want to hit the ball at anybody. Just happened. Fortunate not to get a bigger fine. On the other hand, unfortunate to actually have that incident happen. I have to be more careful I guess in the future.
Q. Following up on that, I know it's difficult for you to talk about, but you did actually hit a woman that was watching. Were you aware of that?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No, I was not.
Q. Just quickly, as someone who plays the sport at such a high level and is in the public eye, do you think it's acceptable behavior?
NOVAK DJOKOVIC: No. I'm going to pay my consequences for that. I accept that I made a mistake. It was not intentional at all. Of course people get hit, especially in the first rows, from big serves and so forth. It happens. It's not the first time. This is something that definitely cannot happen, I mean, from my side. I accept the consequence, absolutely.
Our Take: This was an incident that was blown out of proportion from the beginning, however it is good that it is being addressed. A warning from umpire Carlos Bernardes was the proper call here, anything more would have been a little extreme. Players hit balls off of the playing surface all the time—and many times they do it dangerously. Who could forget David Ferrer’s impolite lob into the Miami Open crowd when the Spaniard was annoyed by a crying baby? And what about the millions of times that players haul off and smash a ball as far as they can? Where do those balls land and aren’t they presenting as much or more danger to people than Djokovic’s relatively lightly struck ball on Sunday?
It’s clear that Djokovic should stop hitting balls at his player’s box. It could potentially be a problem if he hits the ball too hard and accidentally hits a spectator. This should be addressed between the ATP and Djokovic pronto (Either that or his coaching team should bring a baseball glove to his matches). Djokovic is better off smashing a racquet (as he did later in the match) or ripping his shirt off (which he does a lot, and we rather enjoy) than risking taking his frustration off of the playing surface.
From the sound of his press conference, Djokovic gets it, and he’ll likely keep his frustrations “more contained” from here on in.