- Paul Vyacheslavovich Kotov’s outburst has turned the Australian Open upside down
- The Russian almost hit a ball girl after smashing the ball next to her
- Furious fans have called for the 25-year-old to be disqualified
Pavel Vyacheslavovich Kotov was lucky not to be disqualified from the Australian Open after a shocking outburst left a young ball girl terrified.
The 25-year-old Russian had to work for his first round victory on Sunday after Frenchman Arthur Rinderknech fought from two sets down to take the match to the decider in Melbourne.
During that grueling encounter, Kotov exploded in an outburst that infuriated many tennis fans.
After failing to keep his shot in play, Kotov grabbed the ball and hit it forcefully against the back wall behind him, where a ball girl was standing nearby.
Pavel Vyacheslavovich Kotov left a ball girl terrified at the Australian Open on Sunday
The ball fizzed dangerously close to the ball girl, but didn’t hit her as she took cover.
Hitting a spectator is grounds for disqualification, but the vicious nature of the act left a sour taste.
“As a parent of a ball kid, I find it absolutely disgusting that he wasn’t disqualified from the AO,” one fan said on Instagram. “The ball kids are all volunteers and don’t deserve to feel scared or threatened while they are on duty.”
Another said: ‘What a wild animal. “Luckily he’s a famous tennis player, otherwise there would be consequences.”
He vented his frustration in a difficult five-setter against Arthur Rinderknech
A third added: ‘Tennis is a growing sport of spoiled brats who don’t know how to behave.
‘It should be a tough approach to irritability and general lack of self-control. Any sport where you behave like that, rugby, football, (team sports), you will be punished immediately.’
Another fan called for the Russian to be disqualified: “Should be disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct… what if he had hit her.”