NEW YORK -- Top-seeded Novak Djokovic has been defaulted from his fourth-round match at the U.S. Open after he accidentally hit a line judge with a tennis ball.
The 33-year-old from Serbia left the tournament grounds without speaking to the media but posted an apology on Instagram.
It was a stunning end to Djokovic’s 29-match winning streak and bid for an 18th Grand Slam title.
Djokovic had just lost a game to his opponent, Pablo Carreno Busta, to fall behind 6-5 in the first set.
As he walked to the sideline for the changeover, Djokovic angrily smacked a ball behind him.
He had been the overwhelming favorite for the championship.
Top-seeded Novak Djokovic was defaulted from his fourth-round match at the #USOpen after he accidentally hit a line judge with a tennis ball Sunday. pic.twitter.com/TTstxZB2Jw
— ESPN (@espn) September 6, 2020
