Novak Djokovic Suffers Disqualification Scare at Wimbledon After Nearly Hitting Ball Kid

Novak Djokovic suffered a disqualification scare while he was clashing with Roman Safiullin in the fourth round of Wimbledon on Sunday (July 5). The incident happened in just the third game of the match.

Safiullin’s serve hit the top of the net, and so a let was called. Djokovic attempted to send the ball toward the ball kid who was crouched beside the umpire’s chair. But the ball instead hit the umpire’s chair.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion qualified for the US Open back in 2020 after he accidentally hit a line judge in the throat in anger. Reacting to the latest incident, John McEnroe said from the BBC commentary box:

Got defaulted at the [US] Open when he did that and hit a line woman. Almost happened in Australia, he barely missed a ball boy. Safiullin went right at him, that didn’t make him too happy. What’s most displeasing is he dumped serve there.

The former World No.1 had also received a code violation for appearing to shout expletives. McEnroe, from the commentary box, was curious about what Djokovic yelled in Serbian.

He’s working on that code… When you hear another language, it immediately goes to your native tongue. I’d love to know what he was just saying. Apparently, the umpire knows.

John McEnroe said

Djokovic won the first two sets only to see his opponent bounce back and take the next set, before clinching a 7-6(6), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 win. With this win, the 39-year-old surpassed eighth-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer (105) to become the man with the most men’s singles match wins (106) at SW19. Djokovic will play Felix Auger-Aliassime or Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the quarterfinals.

Novak Djokovic on his fitness at Wimbledon compared to the French Open

At the French Open, Novak Djokovic couldn’t make a deep run as his run ended in the third round with a five-set upset by Joao Fonseca. After his third-round win over Arthur Rinderknech in the ongoing tournament, Djokovic was asked at the press conference about the difference in his fitness at Wimbledon compared to Roland Garros.

For sure better, fresher. I mean, more energy now after three matches than I have had in Paris. But it’s also normal and logical to expect that, considering the difference in the surface and physicality of the points and the effort that has to go in every shot with spin and everything on clay, it’s quite different here.

Djokovic, who last year lost to Sinner in the Wimbledon semifinal, could face the defending champion if they both reach the semifinals this time. In this year’s Australian Open semifinal, Nole clinched a shock five-set win over the four-time Grand Slam champion before losing the final to World No.2 Carlos Alcaraz.

It doesn’t mean that I’m not spending any energy on the court. Of course, I am. And the deeper I go into the tournament, obviously the less fresh I will be physically, but I’m trying to maintain that to an optimal level. But as I said, no major issues. I’m feeling fine.

Novak Djokovic added

Djokovic, who last won a Grand Slam title at the 2023 US Open, lifted his seventh title at SW19 back in 2022 by defeating Nick Kyrgios. He made the final in 2023 and 2024 as well, but failed to go past Alcaraz.

Djokovic last won a title at the 2025 Hellenic Championships. Before arriving at Wimbledon, he did not play in any warm-up tournaments. Apart from the first three Majors of the season, the only two tournaments he played this season were the Indian Wells Masters and the Italian Open, losing in the fourth round and the first round, respectively.

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