Fans were asking the same question after Lorenzo Musetti’s incident with a line judge during the French Open on Tuesday.
Musetti defeated Frances Tiafoe 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-2 in their quarterfinal match at Roland Garros in Paris, France. He had dropped a game to fall behind 3-5 in the second set and got frustrated. After receiving balls to serve with, Musetti kicked a ball towards the back wall. The ball hit a female line judge in the chest.
Lorenzo Musetti received a warning for unsportsmanlike conduct after this incident 😳 #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/ted26XaBUv
— TNT Sports (@tntsports) June 3, 2025
Musetti received a warning for a code violation, which left many people feeling he got off easily. Numerous fans pointed to when Novak Djokovic was defaulted from his match at the US Open in 2020 when he hit a ball in frustration that inadvertenly hit a line judge. They were all asking why Musetti wasn’t also defaulted.
@atptour @rolandgarros
— Trudy Seivwright MD (@SeivwrightTrudy) June 3, 2025
So Nole gets defaulted at @usopen but Musetti gets the clear at @rolandgarros ?
Kato in the doubles was defaulted for hitting a ball girl at RG. What is happening here?
pic.twitter.com/oBa5a9crnC
Omg…Imagine the reaction if this was Novak Djokovic ??
— SK (@Djoko_UTD) June 3, 2025
Musetti intentionally hurting a lines woman…Novak was defaulted for unintentionally hitting the lady.
But yeah rules are rules only for Djokovic 🤦 pic.twitter.com/asTP0xm5od
I love Musetti, but if we’re enforcing rules the same 4 everyone, this is 100% a default.
— Rodney 🐊 (@RottenKnee23) June 3, 2025
That said, I don’t believe he should be, just like Djokovic SHOULDN’T have in 2020, but he was, & this is a textbook example of a double standard. #RolandGarros pic.twitter.com/asDgUXtsP3
Many felt that Musetti was lucky to get off with just a warning and nothing more. When the alternative is being dropped from the tournament, he’s lucky to still be alive in the semifinals.
