A physio had to arrive at the court to treat the injury.

Alexander Donski hitting his opponent in the head. (Image: ATP Challenger.)

Alexander Donski and his doubles partner Siddhant Banthia were disqualified from an ATP Challenger event in Barletta, Italy, after Donski hit an opponent in the head with a ball. Simone Agostini clutched his face in pain after being struck and was eventually awarded a walkover, alongside Gianluca Cadenasso.

Donski was frustrated following an earlier missed break point and smashed the ball in frustration, which hit Agostini directly as he attempted to jump out of the way. The two doubles teams then met at the net when Donski appeared to apologise before the two teams spoke with the umpire.

An Open Citta della Disfida tournament official came onto the court with a physio, who treated Agostini’s injury, before the umpire decided to default Donski.

Agostini and Cadenasso were leading 6-2 4-4 at the time, but the pair were at risk of being broken before Donski’s moment of rage. The Italian pair advanced to the semi-finals and will face either Patrick Nicklas-Salminen and David Pincher or Mats Hermans and Tiago Pereira.

The umpire likely disqualified Donski for unsportsmanlike conduct, as the International Tennis Federation (ITF) rulebook states: “Players shall at all times conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner and give due regard to the authority of officials and the rights of opponents, spectators, and others.

Alexander Donski speaking to Simone Agostini who had to sit down after being hit. (Image: ATP Challenger.)

“Violation of this section shall subject a player to a fine up to $500 for each violation. In addition, if such violation occurs during a match (including the warm-up), the player shall be penalised in accordance with the point penalty schedule.

“In circumstances that are flagrant and particularly injurious to the success of a tournament, or are singularly egregious, a single violation of this section shall also constitute the major offence of ‘aggravated behaviour’ and shall be subject to the additional penalties.

“For the purposes of this rule, unsportsmanlike conduct is defined as any misconduct by a player that is clearly abusive or detrimental to the competition, the ITF, or the sport of tennis. In addition, unsportsmanlike conduct shall include, but not be limited to, the giving, making, issuing, authorising or endorsing any public statement having, or designed to have, an effect prejudicial or detrimental to the best interests of the tournament and/or the officiating thereof.”

The first ever instance of tennis players disqualified from a match for hitting someone with the ball in the Open Era happened to Tim Henman, who hit a ball in anger while playing alongside Jeremy Bates at the 1995 Wimbledon.

He accidentally hit a ball girl and the umpire disqualified the British pair while Henrik Holm and Jeff Tarango were awarded a walkover to the second round.