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A16 sports
Monday 7 SepteMber 2020
Djokovic out of US Open after hitting line judge with ball

By HOWARD FENDRICH Novak," said Alexander
AP Tennis Writer Zverev, the tournament's
NEW YORK (AP) — Top- No. 5-seeded man, who
seeded Novak Djokovic reached the quarterfinals
was defaulted from his by winning Sunday. "If it
fourth-round match at the would have landed any-
U.S. Open after he acci- where else — we're talking
dentally hit a line judge in a few inches — he would
the neck with a tennis ball have been fine."
Sunday. Among the many oddities
It was a stunning end to about the 2020 U.S. Open,
Djokovic's bid for an 18th the first Grand Slam tour-
Grand Slam title and his nament since the outset of
26-0 start to this season. the coronavirus pandemic,
"In accordance with the is that there are no specta-
Grand Slam rulebook, fol- tors.
lowing his actions of inten- Another is that only the two
tionally hitting a ball dan- largest arenas — Ashe and
gerously or recklessly within Louis Armstrong Stadium —
the court or hitting a ball have full complements of
with negligent disregard of line judges making calls at
the consequences, the U.S. matches. At other courts,
Open tournament referee chair umpires are aided by
defaulted Novak Djokovic Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, checks a linesman after hitting her with a ball in reaction to losing a point an electronic line-calling
from the 2020 U.S. Open," to Pablo Carreno Busta, of Spain, during the fourth round of the US Open tennis championships, system.
the U.S. Tennis Association Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020, in New York. Djokovic defaulted the match. Associated Press Djokovic's mood had
announced. soured over the preced-
"Because he was de- when Djokovic had just lost Carreno Busta. Chair um- Shapovalov — the 21-year- ing few minutes Sunday. In
faulted," the USTA state- a game to his opponent, pire Aurelie Tourte then an- old Canadian scheduled the prior game, he wasted
ment continued, "Djokovic Pablo Carreno Busta, to fall nounced the default. to play his fourth-round three consecutive break
will lose all ranking points behind 6-5 in the first set. It was clear Djokovic did match Sunday night — was points and after the last,
earned at the U.S. Open As he walked to the side- not intend to hit the line defaulted from a Davis which Carreno Busta won
and will be fined the prize line for the changeover, judge; he wasn't looking Cup match against Brit- with a drop shot, Djokovic
money won at the tourna- Djokovic smacked a ball in that direction when his ain when he accidentally whacked a ball off a court-
ment in addition to any or behind him. The ball hit a racket made contact with hit the chair umpire in the side advertising sign.
all fines levied with respect line judge, who dropped the ball, and there was face with a ball. Then, on the second point
to the offending incident." to her knees at the back of concern written on his face At Wimbledon in 1995, Tim of what would become
With 2019 champion Rafael the court and reached for as soon as he realized what Henman hit a ball into the the last game at this year's
Nadal and Roger Federer her neck. happened. head of a ball girl and was U.S. Open for Djokovic, he
not in the field this year, After a discussion of sev- But players who hit a ball defaulted from a doubles stumbled while chasing a
Djokovic arrived in New eral minutes with officials out of anger and make match with partner Jeremy shot and fell to the ground,
York as the overwhelming on court, including tour- contact with an on-court Bates. clutching his left shoulder.
favorite. nament referee Soeren official have been default- "I think the supervisors and Play was delayed for a
But it all came apart Satur- Friemel, Djokovic walked ed in the past. all them are just doing their few minutes while a trainer
day at Arthur Ashe Stadium, over to shake hands with In 2017, for example, Denis job, but very unlucky for checked that shoulder.q

No Giannis, no problem: Bucks top Heat in OT, force Game 5

elimination. No problem. lamenting how this one got Herro, but Middleton deliv-
The Bucks aren't done yet. away. The Heat gave up ered the biggest shot of the
Even with Giannis Antetok- 12 straight points in the fi- night to make it 116-112.
ounmpo missing most of nal period Sunday, wasting Herro made another
the game with a sprained what was an eight-point 3-pointer with 3.0 seconds
right ankle, the Bucks ex- lead in a closeout game. left, but Middleton sealed
tended their season to a Bam Adebayo had 26 it with a pair of free throws.
Game 5 on Tuesday. Khris points, 12 rebounds and Antetokounmpo had 19 of
Middleton scored 21 of his eight assists for Miami. Dun- Milwaukee's first 30 points,
36 points in the third quar- can Robinson scored 20 shooting 8-for-10 from the
ter, then made a huge points, Jae Crowder had floor. But in an instant, ev-
3-pointer with 6.3 seconds 18 and Goran Dragic and erything changed for the
left in overtime and the Jimmy Butler each finished Bucks. Antetokounmpo ag-
Bucks topped the Miami with 17 for the Heat. gravated his sprained right
Milwaukee Bucks' Khris Middleton shoots past Miami Heat's Heat 118-115 in Game 4 of Antetokounmpo scored 19 ankle with 10:18 left in the
Andre Iguodala during the second half of an NBA conference their series Sunday. points for the Bucks in only second quarter, rolling it
semifinal playoff basketball game Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020, in Lake "Just keep fighting," said 11 minutes, while Brook Lo- inward -- just as he did in
Buena Vista, Fla. Middleton, who also had pez and George Hill each Game 3 on Friday — as he
Associated Press eight rebounds and eight had 14 for Milwaukee. tried to drive past Miami's
By TIM REYNOLDS the first three games of the assists. "That's all my team- Miami managed only two Andre Iguodala. He tum-
AP Basketball Writer Eastern Conference semi- mates did." Miami still leads points in the first 4:30 of bled to the court, grabbing
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. (AP) finals, then lost the NBA's the series 3-1 but will surely overtime, got within one the ankle and screaming in
— The Milwaukee Bucks lost MVP while trying to fend off spend the next two days on a 3-pointer from Tyler pain.q