ESPNTennisVideoWeird But True

Giant Tennis Ball Interrupts Match At Australian Open

Tennis matches are normally fairly reserved affairs, with spectators acting in a relatively dignified manner and respecting the match as it unfolds. At the Australian Open, however, someone decided that an already exciting match needed a little more spice, and threw one of the large autograph balls on the court, actually hitting the ball in play.

Gael Monfils fought back into the match after being down two sets to none to Mikhail Kukushkin, and Monfils had already suffered a back injury early in the first set that nearly forced him to retire. Down 5-4 in the final set, Monfils served in what would turn out to be the final game and immediately following the return, the autograph ball came out of the crowd colliding with the smaller ball in a remarkable display of (bad) timing.

Monfils would go on to lose the game and the match, and although we’ll never know if the interruption would have affected the final result, you can see Monfils’ frustration with the fan, who was likely ejected.

Video via ESPN