Novak Djokovic made history at the 2026 Australian Open, but a tense moment threatened to derail his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title. During his third-round victory over Botic van de Zandschulp on Saturday, the 38-year-old Serbian encountered an incident that brought back memories of controversial incidents from his past.
Djokovic addressed the situation in his press conference, expressing gratitude for avoiding serious consequences that could have jeopardized his tournament run.
Novak Djokovic’s Sincere Apology After Ball Girl Incident
Djokovic advanced to the Australian Open fourth round for the 18th time in his 21 appearances at Melbourne Park with a commanding 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(4) victory over Van de Zandschulp. He claimed his 400th Grand Slam singles win and became the first player in tennis history to reach that milestone. Djokovic also took his Australian Open record to 102 victories, equalling six-time champion Roger Federer’s all-time tournament record.
During the second set, when Djokovic was leading 4-2, the encounter took an unexpected turn. The Serbian star had a controversial moment after Van de Zandschulp sent a long shot which landed out of the court.
Djokovic hit the ball away from the court, but it went from dangerously close to a ball kid near the net, avoiding contact by mere inches. The ball kid quickly reacted to the ball’s trajectory, and Djokovic immediately raised his arm in acknowledgment of the close call.
In his post-match press conference, Djokovic acknowledged the incident when directly questioned about the moment, stating: “Yeah, I apologise for that, that was not necessary, in the heat of the moment. Yeah, I was lucky there, and I’m sorry for causing any distress to the ball kid or anybody.”
Had the ball hit the ball kid, the consequences would have been devastating for Djokovic. During the 2020 US Open, Djokovic was defaulted from his fourth-round match against Pablo Carreño Busta after a ball he hit in anger struck line judge Adeline Barla in the throat.
Grand Slam rules state that hitting a person with a ball can result in immediate disqualification from the tournament, costing him all ranking points and prize money from the event.
Djokovic Continues to Write History at the 2026 Australian Open
Despite the dramatic moment, Djokovic managed to secure his place in the fourth round, battling the extreme heat in Melbourne on Saturday. He is now set to face the 16th seed Czech sensation Jakub Menšík, who defeated American Ethan Quinn 6-2, 7-6(5), 7-6(5) to secure his spot in the fourth round for the first time at a Grand Slam event.
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Menšík represents a challenge for Djokovic, as the two have already met on one of the biggest stages with huge relation with the great Serb’s career. In the 2025 Miami Open final, the Czech star delivered a stunning upset victory over his childhood idol, defeating Djokovic 7-6(4), 7-6(4) to claim his first ATP title. That victory prevented Djokovic from winning his milestone 100th ATP title, which he eventually did at Geneva later in 2025.
Menšík has long described Djokovic as his inspiration behind his professional career, making the upcoming fourth-round clash even more exciting. Despite his age and the extreme conditions, the 24-time Grand Slam champion enters the matchup as the clear favorite, with 78% chances of reaching the quarterfinals, according to PFSN’s exclusive interactive simulator.
