Spanish tennis star Rafael Jodar has strongly denied pushing a ball girl during his French Open third-round match, after footage emerged appearing to show an incident between sets. The 19-year-old was seen throwing a water bottle into his box as a ball girl walked across his path, with the girl briefly losing her balance.
Jodar insisted he did not make contact, stating: 'I didn't touch her. No, no, no. I could never do that.' He explained he was gesturing to his father for items after a toilet break, and the ball girl tripped on the court tarp. 'She was in the middle, so I think she was trying to get out of the way. She was going backwards, but I think she, like, fell, but not because I pushed her because it was something for the court cover,' he said.
The incident sparked debate in the tennis world. Martina Navratilova quoted the clip, adding: 'Hmm… not ok.' However, former ATP pro Chris Eubanks defended Jodar, noting: 'The girl tripped on the tarp. The angle makes it look like he pushed her but to me, it’s very clear she tripped on the tarp trying to get out of his way.' Former doubles world No. 1 Rennae Stubbs agreed, saying: 'He didn’t touch the ball kid. ... the girl clearly trips over the court tarp trying to get out of the way as he walks out of the court.'
The rigid courtside covers have been a controversial topic at Roland Garros this year, with injuries to Katie Boulter, Zeynep Sonmez, and Alexander Blockx blamed on the hazard. Jodar emphasised his respect for ball kids, saying: 'I appreciate all the work that the ball kids are doing. ... I could never, you know, push a ball kid.'
Despite the controversy, Jodar secured a hard-fought 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 victory over American Alex Michelsen, advancing to the fourth round of a major for the first time. He will face fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta next for a place in the quarter-finals.
