(Paris) French tennis player Terence Atmane apologized on Tuesday for hitting a spectator with a ball at the French Open.
Atmane came out of his control and hit a ball which accidentally hit a spectator in the leg on Sunday. He was not disqualified, but received a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct. Atmane eventually lost in five rounds in the first round to Sebastian Ofner.
“This gesture was involuntary. Forgive my overreaction,” he said Tuesday via an Instagram post. He then explained that a string on his racket had broken, propelling the ball towards the stands, which caught him off guard.
Atmane reiterated that he wanted to personally apologize to the spectator.
Atmane was not disqualified because the spectator said she was fine, referee Rémy Azemar told the French daily The Team. He added that Atmane will receive a “significant fine”.
The decision not to disqualify Atmane, however, caused a stir at Roland-Garros. Players have already been disqualified for similar actions in the past. At last year’s French Open, Miyu Kato and her doubles partner were forced to withdraw after Kato accidentally hit a ball to the throat of a ball attendant.
World No. 1 Novak Djokovic was also disqualified from his fourth-round match at the 2020 US Open after accidentally hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball.