Bencic Hits a Fan: No Default, the Djokovic Case Returns

Belinda Bencic hit a spectator with a ball at the US Open first round and stayed on court. It happened on September 1, 2026 at Stadium 17, in the second set against Yulia Putintseva: leading 2-0 and just pegged back by the counter-break, the No. 12 seed fired a ball behind her without looking, sending it into the stands. The chair umpire ruled the gesture unintentional, issued the Swiss player a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct and had play resume, noting that the fan was unharmed.

Putintseva protested immediately, asking why it didn't trigger a default and bringing up the most famous precedent: "But the person that Djokovic hit was also fine."

The reference is to September 6, 2020, when Novak Djokovic was defaulted from the tournament in the round of 16 against Pablo Carreño Busta. Trailing 5-6 in the first set, the Serb had hit a line judge in the throat with a ball struck backward. After roughly ten minutes of consultation, tournament referee Soeren Friemel took him out of the draw: the USTA justified the decision by citing a ball struck in a dangerous or reckless manner, in disregard of the consequences. Djokovic lost points and prize money.

The formal distinction lies there, in intent and in the judgment of danger, an assessment the rules leave to the chair umpire and the referee case by case. But the crowd saw two balls struck backward without looking, two people hit, two opposite outcomes, and the debate ignited within minutes.

The result took the sporting weight off the question: Putintseva, world No. 84, won 4-6, 7-5, 6-3. For Bencic it's a bitter exit six days after the mixed doubles final lost with Flavio Cobolli against Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik.