Tennis duo kicked out of French Open

Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi the Japanese – Indonesian tennis duo have been kicked out of the French opening after invertedly injuring a ball girl.

The duo were against Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo, in their third round clash of the women’s double on courts 14 when Sara was prepared to serve and hit a back hand.

The tennis ball hit the young ball girl in her chest, shortly after getting hit, she was clutching her chest and was reduced to tears.

The match umpire Alexandre Juge initially handed Kato and Sutjiadi a warning, before Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo stormed over to protest.

Following their complaints ITF supervisor Wayne McKewen and tournament referee Remy Azemar were called to court.

The visibly emotional Kato went over to comfort and apologise to the ball girl, but was eventually defaulted after the umpire’s initial decision was upgraded following 15 minutes of deliberation.

After the default was confirmed, a tearful and remorseful Kato was comforted by her partner Sutjiadi.

When the announcement was made over the speakers that the match was over, the crowd booed.

McKewen explained why there was this reasoning he said,

“The result is serious. The ball girl has been hit.

“If you hit a ball not in play and it hits someone and they are injured, then you are responsible.

“Even though you didn’t mean it, you are still responsible for that action.

“It wasn’t intentional but that doesn’t matter. If you hit the ball in-between points and it hits someone and they are injured, then you are responsible for the end of the match.

“The way you passed it, you have injured someone. You may not have meant to do it, you may have meant it just in frustration. If it is during play, it’s different.

“If it’s in-between points, and you hit a ball that hits someone and they are injured, you are then responsible for that action. During play, no.

“It’s very similar to what happened to Novak (Djokovic) in New York. He didn’t mean to do it. He hit the ball back.”

Many fans felt that Kato and Sutjiadi had been harshly defaulted.

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