Novak Djokovic DQ'd from 2020 US Open; Accidentally Hit Line Judge with Ball

Novak Djokovic's 2020 U.S. Open ended in shocking fashion after tournament officials disqualified him for striking a lineswoman along the back wall with a ball.

Pablo Carreno Busta had broken Djokovic in the first set to take a 6-5 lead. Out of frustration, the No. 1 seed hit the ball toward the wall.

Djokovic hit the ball back toward the lineswoman as he and Carreno Busta were exchanging serve. However, he wasn't looking at where he directed the ball, which appeared to connect with the lineswoman around the neck.

ABC News' Joshua Hoyos shared a statement from the USTA:

"In accordance with the Grand Slam rulebook, following his actions of intentionally hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting the ball with negligent disregard of the consequences, the US Open tournament referee defaulted Novak Djokovic from the 2020 US Open. Because he was defaulted, Djokovic will lose all ranking points earned at the US Open and will be fined the prize money won at the tournament in addition to any and all fines levied with respect to the offending incident."

Officials deliberated on the court about the ruling to follow. The on-court microphones also caught Djokovic attempting to avoid a default:

Djokovic did not speak to the media after the match, but he did take to Instagram to issue an apology:

"This whole situation has left me really sad and empty. I checked on the lines person and the tournament told me that thank God she is feeling ok. I'm extremely sorry to have caused her such stress. So unintended. So wrong. I'm not disclosing her name to respect her privacy. As for the disqualification, I need to go back within and work on my disappointment and turn this all into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and human being. I apologize to the @usopen tournament and everyone associated for my behavior. I'm very grateful to my team and family for being my rock support, and my fans for always being there with me. Thank you and I'm so sorry."

To some extent, the match calls to mind the 2018 women's singles final, when Serena Williams received three code violations to overshadow Naomi Osaka's straight-set victory.

Djokovic's actions represented a more clear-cut infraction, however. Regardless of the intent, hitting a linesperson is grounds for default.

Had the match continued, it looked like Djokovic was going to have his hands full. He tweaked his shoulder when he used his left hand to brace his fall while chasing down a backhand in the opening set.

Carreno Busta was proving to be a game challenger as well. He was content to remain on the defensive and play conservatively. Djokovic had an 18-12 edge in winners, but Carreno Busta committed four fewer unforced errors, per the U.S. Open's official site.

The No. 20 seed will now face Denis Shapovalov or David Goffin in the quarterfinals.

Djokovic's exit leaves the men's draw wide-open. The absences of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer provided him with a clear path to a fourth U.S. Open title.

Now, second-seeded Dominic Thiem has received a big boost in pursuit of his first Grand Slam championship.