Novak Djokovic equals Federer but faces resounding disqualification

Novak Djokovic has reached another historic milestone, touching 400 Slam tournament victories, including 102 at the Australian Open, the same number as Roger Federer at the top of this special ranking. In the evening session on the Rod Laver Arena, the former world number one prevailed over Botic van de Zandschulp with a score of 6-3 6-4 7-6(4), thus securing a pass to the round of 16. Making headlines, however, is also and above all an incident that could also have cost him disqualification.

In the second set, Nole out of frustration hit a ball at a standstill that grazed a ball boy: if the boy had been hit, by regulation the chair judge would have automatically had to stop the match, giving the victory to his opponent and ending the Serb&#8217s tournament. Incidentally, it wouldn&#8217t have been the first time, either: the episode brought to mind what happened at the 2020 U.S. Open when at a standstill the Serb hit a line judge with a ball, getting himself disqualified from a slam for which he was the favorite.

Djokovic, after the narrow escape, will thus continue his tournament, which could lead him to face Lorenzo Musetti in the quarters and, if he wins, Jannik Sinner in the eventual semifinals. Meanwhile, it had been since October that the South Tyrolean had not lost a set: breaking the spell was the surprising U.S. player Eliot Spizzirri, who put the Azzurro in great difficulty during the match valid for the third round of the Australian Open.

Compounded by heat and cramps, the Italian tennis player went into a slump at the beginning of the third set and the closing of the Rod Laver Arena roof, decided on the 3-1 result for the American, was providential because it gave him time to recover and find himself. Controversy immediately broke out on the net, with some claiming that the South Tyrolean champion was favored.