US Open: Novak Djokovic Out In Fourth Round, Defaulted For Hitting Ball At Line Judge

Novak Djokovic has just had himself ruled out of the US Open for striking the ball at the line judge that resulted in him being disqualified from the tournament. The top seed emotion was on the lose for trailing his opponent Carreno Busta in the first set by 5-6. 

The two-time champion allowed his frustration to get to him on serving at 5-6 and struck the ball such that it flew straight at the line judge and struck her in the throat. She went down on the court floor holding her neck in anguish. 

By this act, Djokovic was adjudged to have broken the Grand Slam rule which prohibits players from inflicting physical abuse on not only any official but on anybody on the site including their opponent. The consequence of breaking the rule will be disqualification by the referee. 

"Players shall not at any time physically abuse any official, opponent, spectator or other person within the precincts of the tournament site," the Grand Slam rule stated. 

Novak had remained unbeaten this season until the qualification which would deny contest for his fourth US Open title that could have been his 18th Gram Slam title.