The referee who dismissed Novak Djokovic also cleared his opponent for the same infraction.

For the same offense for which Novak Djokovic was disqualified, Alex Michelsen was not punished.

Alex Michelsen was not disqualified on Saturday for the same offense by the same umpire who had defaulted on Novak Djokovic at the US Open in 2020. Three years ago, Djokovic lost the match at Flushing Meadows because he lost control of his rage.

In the fourth round, the Serb was losing to Pablo Carreno Busta when he unintentionally struck a line judge in the throat with a ball that he had whacked in rage. She was clearly injured when the ball impacted, and Djokovic hurried over to see how she was doing.

As a result, Djokovic was disqualified from the US Open, with umpire Aurelie Tourte appropriately imposing the penalty. After a protracted argument, he conceded the point, picked up his rackets, and left the court.

Tourte declined to disqualify Michelsen for striking a fan with a ball during his loss against Lorenzo Sonego, for an unknown reason. Only a few days before the US Open began this year, the two players were competing in the Winston-Salem Open final in North Carolina.

Frustrated after losing a point, Michelsen threw a ball into the stands, injuring a bystander.

He realized his error right away and watched with concern as the 19-year-old worried about the possible consequences.

After being checked over, the fan told Tourte that she was fine, and eventually the game was permitted to continue. Before play resumed, Michelsen also expressed regret to the onlooker. Sonego emerged victorious, 6-0 to 6-4.

Andy Roddick was the first to call attention to the hypocrisy evident and insisted that Michelsen ought to have been defaulted. A line judge and a spectator were equally terrible offenses, he said, adding that Djokovic was ‘far more unlucky’ in his circumstances.

“It’s kind of the same to me as an umpire if you fire one hard and hit a fan,” Roddick said on X, the previous Twitter platform. “Take the same action. One is simply far unluckier. Michelsen responded as though he believed he was doomed.”

After being disqualified from the US Open in 2020, Djokovic expressed regret profusely, stating that he had no intention of hitting the line judge and that it had left him feeling “sad and empty.” ‘Growth and evolution as a footballer and human being’ was another commitment he made in an Instagram statement.

Get more related news at sportviewers.com