“She was walking backwards,” says tennis star after being accused of pushing ball girl at French Open.
Rafael Jodar has spoken out after being accused of pushing a ball girl at the French Open. Jodar won a tough match against Alex Michelsen 7-6(2), 6-7(5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 to reach the fourth round of the Grand Slam for the first time in his career.
However, he made headlines after a video showed a ball girl seeming to lose her balance while Jodar walked past her between sets. The clip quickly went viral, with many people thinking Jodar had made contact with her. Tennis legend Martina Navratilova shared her thoughts on social media, saying, “Hmm… not ok.”
At a press conference, Jodar firmly denied touching the girl and explained what actually happened. He said, “I didn’t touch her. No, no, no. I could never do that. She was walking backwards, and I didn’t push her. I was asking my dad for some things after a break, and she was trying to get out of the way. She fell because the court cover was right behind her.”
He added, “I really appreciate all the hard work the ball kids do. It’s tough with the heat and conditions, and I would never push a ball kid.”
People had different opinions on Jodar’s explanation, but former doubles champion Rennae Stubbs agreed with him. She pointed out that the girl tripped over the tarp on the court, which has caused injuries to other players at Roland Garros too. Former pro Chris Eubanks also said, “It looks like he pushed her, but the girl actually tripped over the tarp trying to avoid him.”
Next up, Jodar will play against his fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta in the tournament. This French Open has already seen some surprises, with top players like world No.1 Jannik Sinner and 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic knocked out early.