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Rafael Jodar sparks fresh French Open controversy after ignoring a kid mascot, after earlier debate over a ball girl incident.
Rafael Jodar has been caught in yet another ball kid controversy (Picture credit: Screengrab from X/AP)
Spanish tennis star Rafael Jodar ignored a French Open kid mascot to begin a new controversy right after he seemingly pushed a ball girl during a previous match. Mascots walk out with the tennis players before every match at Grand Slams.
Videos of the incident, which have sparked strong reactions on social media, appear to show Jodar walking past a young girl who had extended her hand towards him.
While Jodar’s focused behaviour during the walk-out suggests he may have failed to notice her in the moment, many fans online were unimpressed by the apparent snub. Watch the video here:
The incident drew added attention because it came just days after another clip involving Jodar and a ball kid had gone viral on social media. In that video, he appeared to brush past and move a ball girl aside while making his way off the court, prompting further criticism online.
But alternative camera angles suggested there was no deliberate contact from Jodar. The footage appeared to show him tossing a bottle towards his team in frustration, while the ball kid slipped on the tarp as she was returning to her position near the backboard fence.
Jodar later addressed the controversy during his media interactions, insisting that he would never behave in such a manner. The episode sparked widespread debate online about player behaviour and what constitutes acceptable behaviour on the court.
Meanwhile, Jodar has become accustomed to marathon encounters during his maiden Roland Garros campaign, but his five-set win against fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreño Busta was stretched even further as the heatwave that dominated the opening week gave way to rain, leading to brief interruptions in play.
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