Novak Djokovic Disqualified From The US Open

Novak Djokovic was disqualified from the US Open after world number one hit a line judge when hitting a ball away in anger during his last 16 match against Pablo Carreno Busta.

The Serbian was trailing 6-5 in the first set of the match when he knocked away a ball he had from his service game and a line judge in the throat.

Djokovic was easily the favourite for the second Grand Slam of the season as both his main rivals, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, were missing from Flushing Meadows.

The 33-year-old's record on hard courts would have made him a favourite even if the only two men with more Slams than him had been in the US to take part in the tournament, as he chased his fourth US Open title.

Up until tonight the Serb had been undefeated in 2020, during a season that has obviously been disrupted due to Covid-19, and had only dropped one set against Kyle Edmund previously in the tournament.

Busta, the 20th seed, reached the semi-final in New York in 2017, and will now face either Denis Shapovalov or David Goffin in the quarter finals.

Fifth seed Alex Zverev is also already through in the top half of the draw whilst second seed Dominic Thiem and third seed Daniil Medvedev are awaiting their fourth round matches still and are on course to meet in the semi-final.

Djokovic's DQ makes the whole draw completely open though and it'll be the first time since the French Open in 2004 that none of Djokovic, Federer or Nadal will be in a Grand Slam semi-final.

In the women's draw Serena Williams is still attempting to equal Margaret Court's record of 24 Grand Slam singles titles, although the Australian won most of hers before the Open Era.