1 month ago
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Novak Djokovic was on a losing streak last night before his semi-final opponent Lorenzo Musetti was forced to retire hurt.
But in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it moment, the 10-time AO champion dobbed himself in for an action almost nobody else saw. And he says it’s all because he was brought up to be “fair, sportsmanlike and chivalrous”.
After about 90 minutes of play, Djokovic served to stay in the second set at 3-5 and led 30-15 on serve when he and Musetti had an exciting exchange at the net. The Italian managed to get a forehand over the net, but the umpire called it in Djokovic’s favour as the ball went wide.
Yet the superb Serb wouldn’t have it. He approached chair umpire James Keothavong and told him his racquet had grazed the ball, so the point should go to Musetti.
“No, no, no, I touched it, I touched it,” Djokovic said.
It levelled the score at 30-30, putting the tennis legend two points away from going two sets down.
Keothavong announced to the crowd: “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. Djokovic has told us he touched the ball, conceding the point. 30-30.”
Djokovic later told a post-match press conference in Serbian his choice had been clear – it was all down to his upbringing.
Djokovic in his match against Lorenzo Musetti.Credit: Alex Coppel
“I felt the vibration on the racquet, and you’re just sure when that happens that the ball touches the racquet. It grazed the frame of the racquet and that’s all I can say,” he said.
“That’s the way I was raised and brought up – that you should be fair and that you should behave in a sportsmanlike and chivalrous manner regardless of the result.”
In his live commentary for Nine, owner of this masthead, tennis legend John McEnroe said: “What a sporting gesture that was, alerting the umpire.”
