Rafael Jódar is facing controversy at the French Open amid claims that he pushed a ball kid during his French Open third-round match on Friday. The Spaniard made it through to the Round of 16 with a hard-fought 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 win over Alex Michelsen.
Rafael Jódar Defends Himself After Claims That He Pushed a Ball Kid
During the third-round match between Jódar and Michelsen, a video went viral of the former seemingly bumping into a ball kid. The 19-year-old has denied those claims and was adamant after the match that he did not push the ball kid.
During his post-match press conference, Jódar was quick to refute claims that he pushed a ball kid.
“I don’t remember which set it was. She was walking backwards and I think she… I didn’t push her or anything. I was telling my dad to give me the things that he was going to give me after a toilet break when I was coming back… she was in the middle, so I think she was trying to get out of the way. She was going backwards but I think she fell, but not because I pushed her, because it was something for, like… what do you call it? The mop?”
“It was right behind her. So when she was walking backwards she fell with that. But obviously I appreciate all the work that the ball kids are doing. I know it’s difficult with the heat and the conditions to stay there so I appreciate. I could never, you know, push a ball kid…”
This is what Jodar said in press, adamantly denying pushing the ball girl.
Video angles I have seen so far are inconclusive on the incident, but he was rude to ball kids at other points in the match, also. https://t.co/Tv09R6M0qw pic.twitter.com/RylD2jQYiH
— Ben Rothenberg (@BenRothenberg) May 29, 2026
The video angles were inconclusive on whether Jódar was at fault in the incident, but some fans were critical of the youngster, who is making his French Open debut this year.
🚨 Este video se está haciendo viral, pero NO ES LO QUE PARECE.
En ningún momento Rafael Jódar empuja a la ball girl.
La chica se tropieza sola con la lona.pic.twitter.com/q9Ci4I0XUi https://t.co/1mqAiVCzoJ
— Tiempo De Tenis (@Tiempodetenis1) May 29, 2026
Jódar is enjoying a dream run on clay in what is his first full-time season on the ATP Tour. He won his maiden ATP Tour title last month in Morocco, and has since made the semifinals in Barcelona, the quarterfinals in Madrid and Rome, and now has his sights set on a deep run at Roland Garros.
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In the fourth round of the French Open, Jódar will go up against compatriot Pablo Carreño Busta. The match will take place on Sunday.
