Spanish tennis player Rafael Jodar has denied pushing a ball girl out of his way during his match at the French Open. Jodar booked his place in the fourth round of Roland Garros with victory over American Alex Michelsen on Friday.
Incident Between Sets
Between sets, footage shared on social media showed the 19-year-old walking off the court when a ball girl appeared to accidentally step across his path while trying to move out of the way. Jodar was seen gesturing to someone in his box, later clarifying that to be his father, as he passed the girl.
Jodar's Denial
Jodar denied pushing the volunteer, suggesting she may have got her feet tangled in the court cover. Initial footage that appeared on social media caused fury among tennis fans. However, a separate clip suggested the ball girl may have indeed tripped back on the court cover just as Jodar was raising his hand towards his father.
'I didn't touch her,' he said. 'No, no, no. I could never do that.'
He continued: 'I didn't push her or anything. I was telling my dad to give me the things that he was going to give me after a toilet break when I was coming back. 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 push(ed) her.'
He added: 'It [the court cover] was right behind her. So when she was walking backwards, she fell with that. I appreciate all the work that the ball kids are doing. I know it's difficult with the heat and the conditions to stay there, so I appreciate. I could never, you know, push a ball kid.'
Supporting Evidence
A separate video posted on social media appears to corroborate Jodar's account, showing the ball girl tripping on the court cover without any contact from the player. The incident sparked debate among tennis fans, with many initially condemning Jodar before the additional footage emerged.
