Novak Djokovic Told He ‘Should Have Hit His Opponent’ Amid Disqualification Debate
Novak Djokovic has once again found himself at the center of controversy after comparisons were drawn between his infamous 2020 US Open disqualification and a recent Davis Cup incident.
The world No. 6 was defaulted from the 2020 US Open after striking a lineswoman with a ball he hit in frustration. However, former world No. 1 Andy Roddick has now suggested that Djokovic might have avoided punishment if he had hit his opponent instead.
Davis Cup Drama Sparks Djokovic Comparisons
The discussion was reignited after a heated altercation between Zizou Bergs and Cristian Garin during the Davis Cup qualifier between Belgium and Chile.
After breaking Garin’s serve, Bergs rushed past the net in celebration, colliding with his opponent and knocking him to the ground. Garin, who refused to continue playing, insisted that Bergs should have been disqualified. However, the Belgian was only given a code violation.
Furious with the decision, Garin protested:
“I’m not going to play. You don’t have the guts to disqualify him, but you’ll disqualify me. I’ve never had something like this happen. You don’t have the guts. He knocked me out, I fainted.”
Garin later received a point penalty and a game penalty, which resulted in a 6-3, 4-6, 7-5 victory for Bergs. The Chilean Tennis Federation later released a statement accusing Bergs of “attacking” Garin and claiming their player did not receive proper medical attention.
Roddick’s Take: ‘Djokovic Should’ve Just Hit His Opponent’
Following the controversy, many in the tennis world began comparing Bergs’ incident to Djokovic’s 2020 US Open default.
Djokovic had been frustrated after losing a break to Pablo Carreno Busta in the fourth round. In an emotional reaction, he hit a ball toward the back of the court, unintentionally striking a lineswoman, which led to his immediate disqualification.
Discussing the Davis Cup incident, Roddick suggested that Bergs would have been punished if the collision had involved an umpire.
“Had Bergs done it to an umpire, he’d have been gone. But apparently, you can do it to another player and it’s fine,” he said on his Served podcast.
Co-presenter Jon Wertheim added:
“If Novak Djokovic taps a ball and it happens to hit a lineswoman, and he says, ‘listen, I didn’t intend anything,’ it doesn’t really matter what his intent is.”
Roddick replied with a sharp remark:
“Yeah, he should’ve just hit the opponent.”
Double Standards? Former Player Suggests Djokovic Would Face Harsher Punishment
Roddick isn’t the only one questioning the consistency of disqualification rules. Former world No. 16 Nikoloz Basilashvili also weighed in, suggesting that Djokovic would have received a much harsher punishment if he were in Bergs’ position.
“If Novak had done this, he would have been disqualified for life. WTF,” Basilashvili posted on social media.
The Debate Continues
The incident has reignited conversations about how disqualifications are handled in tennis, particularly in cases where physical contact or unintended actions lead to controversy.
While Djokovic’s 2020 default remains one of the most debated rulings in recent tennis history, the Davis Cup altercation has added a new layer to the discussion—raising questions about fairness and consistency in the sport’s disciplinary decisions.
