Novak Djokovic secured his 400th Grand Slam victory, but the match against Botic Van de Zandschulp wasn’t without a heart-stopping moment as the Serbian narrowly avoided disqualification. The incident has sparked debate about on-court conduct and the fine line between competitive fire and unacceptable behavior.
Djokovic took the first set with a single break, capitalizing on a slightly off-kilter performance from Van de Zandschulp, who nonetheless displayed strong play. The second set saw the Dutchman, battling shoulder issues, concede two breaks despite a brief resurgence, ultimately falling to Djokovic.
The third set proved the most dramatic. Van de Zandschulp earned a break following an injury timeout, but Djokovic immediately responded. At 6-5, the resilient Dutchman found himself with two set points, only for Djokovic to elevate his game when it mattered most, closing out the set in a tiebreak.
No Disqualification
The milestone 400th Grand Slam win was almost overshadowed by a moment of frustration. After Van de Zandschulp missed a shot, Djokovic angrily swatted the ball away, coming dangerously close to hitting a ball girl. Had the ball connected, a disqualification for the 38-year-old Serbian would have been almost certain.
“A special moment. I don’t know why he was suddenly so frustrated,” Van de Zandschulp commented on the incident. “It made very little difference. It doesn’t matter, but it’s strange that he doesn’t get a warning about it.”
Djokovic acknowledged his luck after the match. “That was not necessary in the heat of the moment. I apologized. I was lucky. Sorry if I frightened the ball child or anyone else,” he said. The incident brought back memories of his disqualification from the 2020 US Open, where he unintentionally struck a line judge in the larynx with a ball.
