French Open 2023: Women's doubles team disqualified after Japan's Miyu Kato accidentally hits ballgirl

Inadvertently hitting a ball girl cost Aldila Sutjiadi and Miyu Kato disqualification from their French Open match against Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo on Sunday. Into the second set of the contest, Kato struck a ball to the opposite end between points, which ended up hitting a ball girl straight on her head.

Miyu Kato & Aldila Sutjiadi just got defaulted as Kato hit a ball girl accidentally at 6-7(1), 3-1.

Ball girl is okay but got scared & started crying. Kato went to check on her & apologize but nothing could be done — supervisor called, default confirmed. pic.twitter.com/1mLA951AOc

— Gaspar Ribeiro Lança (@gasparlanca) June 4, 2023

The umpire’s immediate response was a warning but since the girl was sobbing, Bouzkova and Tormo approached the umpire to have the opponents disqualified. “No, no, let me explain to you. She [Kato] didn’t do it on purpose. She [the ball girl] didn’t get injured,” the umpire was reported as telling Bouzkova and Tormo by Reuters. “She didn’t do it on purpose? She’s crying,” Sorribes Tormo said. “And she has blood,” Bouzkova added. The insistence from the duo brought the umpire on the court and check on the distressed ball girl. After the umpire had checked on the girl and the following discussion, Aldila Sutjiadi and Miyu Kato were declared defaulted and the match went to Bouzkova and Tormo. A weeping Kato, who had apologised to the ball girl, was seen in tears as she left the court. In a similar incident at the 2023 US Open Novak Djokovic was defaulted after a ball from him accidentally hit a line judge. Although Bouzkova and Tormo won the first set 7-6 (1), Sutjiadi and Kato were leading the second 3-1 before being defaulted. Read all the Latest News, Trending News, Cricket News, Bollywood News, India News and Entertainment News here. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.