The stakes were sky-high as 15th seed Frances Tiafoe locked horns with Lorenzo Musetti in a gripping French Open quarterfinal. With neither player having ever reached the final four at Roland-Garros, the pressure was palpable, and the tension spilled onto the court. Musetti came out swinging on Tuesday, dominating the opening set 6-2. But the momentum shifted early in the second, with Tiafoe breaking serve and holding firm to level the match. Frustration began creeping in for the 23-year-old Italian, who let his emotions show in an uncharacteristic outburst. One that had fans recalling Novak Djokovic’s US Open punishment.
In a moment that stunned the crowd, Musetti kicked a ball in frustration, only for it to strike a lineswoman stationed courtside. The incident immediately drew comparisons to the infamous Novak Djokovic episode from the 2020 US Open, where the Serb was disqualified after hitting a line judge with a ball during a fourth-round match.
Despite the striking similarities, Musetti escaped punishment, a decision that didn’t sit well with many tennis fans and analysts.
Fans react after Lorenzo Musetti escapes disqualification after Novak Djokovic-like behavior
Serena Williams’ former coach Rennae Stubbs reacted to his unsportsmanlike behaviour and took to X to write, “Wow Musetti is VERY LUCKY to be still on court right now. You cannot kick a ball and it hit the linesperson and not be defaulted.”
Wow Musetti is VERY LUCKY to be still on court right now. You cannot kick a ball and it hit the lines person and not be defaulted.
— Rennae Stubbs (@rennaestubbs) June 3, 2025
She further wrote in another post, “I know he didn’t mean it but no one does, man, this is BAD! And he’s out there playing right, knowing he could easily have been in the locker room!“
One fan recalled Novak Djokovic’s US Open punishment and wrote,” Musetti kicked the ball and hit a line judge in the chest with it That should have been a default. It was for Djokovic.”
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