Strange things keep happening to Novak Djokovic, says the last player to be defaulted at a Slam
Novak Djokovic’s disqualification from the US Open after hitting a lineswoman with the ball was nothing short of a nightmare. It was by far the least expected way in which Djokovic could have failed to win the US Open.
Some have since expressed doubt whether the punishment fit the offense, but the last player to have been defaulted at a Slam - Stefan Koubek - has seemingly put that notion to rest.
The Austrian knows a thing or two about being disqualified due to similar reasons, having been at the receiving end of it thrice in his career. The most notable of those instances was at Roland Garros 2000, where Koubek suffered a default after he threw his racquet in anger and it hit a ballboy.
Speaking from experience, Koubek said that the punishment meted out to the Serb was justified. At the same time, he opined that Djokovic didn’t hit the lineswoman on purpose.
Stefan Koubek also spoke about his fellow Austrian Dominic Thiem’s chances at the US Open now that the field has been blown wide open.
Novak Djokovic made a mistake: Stefan Koubek
Ever since Novak Djokovic’s disqualification, there have been fierce discussions in the tennis community about the very rule concerning the incident. While some are arguing that sticking to the rule-book is the right way to go, others believe the rules themselves are archaic and harsh.
Stefan Koubek on his part feels that the penalty received by Novak Djokovic was ‘normal’ given the circumstances. Koubek further emphasized that aspects such as status of the player and intent were irrelevant when it came to making such a judgement.
“If you meet a ball kid, a referee or a spectator in your anger, you will be disqualified,” Koubek said. “That's normal, end of the announcement. Whether the player is called Novak Djokovic or not does not matter. It doesn't matter whether it was on purpose or not.”
The Austrian didn't accept the excuse of bad luck either in the case of Djokovic. For him, it was an error of judgement that could have been avoided.
Koubek pointed out that the stadium was bereft of fans and as such the Serb could very well have aimed his ball in a different direction.
“The stadium is empty, no one in sight. There is enough space to shoot the ball anywhere,” Koubek added. “Djokovic made a mistake. You have to keep your emotions under control. It is not the first time that this set of rules has been applied.”
Koubek did, however, add that Novak Djokovic has been rather unfortunate in general this year. The Serb has recently shown an uncanny ability to find himself in muddy waters when it comes to the sport; be it his Adria tour debacle or the PTPA issue, Djokovic keeps making headlines for all the wrong reasons.
For Koubek, the Serb’s extraordinary tennis skills are undeserving of this ‘shame'.
“He's fighting for a better reputation, but somehow it doesn't quite work out,” Koubek said. “Strange things keep happening in his corner, in his environment. It's a shame because he plays great tennis.”
Dominic Thiem doesn’t win the US Open straight away: Stefan Koubek
Novak Djokovic’s shocking exit has opened up the men’s draw, giving a lot of players the chance to claim their maiden Grand Slam title. Amongst them, Dominic Thiem is arguably the favorite given his multiple Slam final appearances in the past.
Koubek believes that the going won’t be easy for his compatriot, as he still needs to beat a fair few people on the way. That said, he also believes that the Serb’s default has improved Thiem's chances considerably.
“I hope so for him. But just because Djokovic is out, Dominic doesn't win the tournament straight away,” Koubek said. “On the way to the title he still has to beat a few competitors, there is nothing for free. But let's not kid ourselves, the chance is bigger now.”