Spanish tennis player Rafael Jódar found himself at the center of an online debate after a viral clip from the French Open appeared to show him pushing a ball girl while leaving the court.
The incident quickly spread across social media, with many viewers accusing the 19-year-old of disrespectful behavior.
However, as additional footage emerged and Jódar addressed the situation himself, questions began to surface about whether the video showed what people initially thought it did.
Highlights
- Teenage tennis star Rafael Jódar faced heavy online backlash after a viral video from the French Open appeared to show him shoving a ball girl out of the way.
- Jódar strongly denied the accusations, clarifying that he never touched her.
- New camera angles and replay footage vindicated the 19-year-old, revealing an optical illusion.
A viral moment during Rafael Jódar’s French Open match quickly drew criticism
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The controversy unfolded during Jódar’s third-round match against American player Alex Michelsen at Roland Garros on May 29.
After finishing a set, Jódar was walking toward the exit for a toilet break when a ball girl appeared in his path. Footage shared online appeared to show the teenager moving past her before suddenly stumbling backward and falling.
The clip spread rapidly across social media, where many viewers believed the young player had shoved the volunteer out of the way.
“I’ve seen loser behavior, but this just takes the cake; he deserves to get blackballed,” one person wrote.
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“LOSER and a liar!! Losers don’t push girls. Only cowards and mean, sick men do,” another commented.
“He lost not just a game, but his character too,” a third person added.
Others criticized what they viewed as poor sportsmanship.
“This scene is honestly upsetting to watch. Ball kids deserve respect and protection at all times. Athletes are expected to maintain basic professional conduct, even under pressure,” one viewer wrote.
After the clip went viral, Jódar broke his silence and revealed the truth about the whole ordeal
The Spanish player was asked about the incident after his match, which he won in five sets to reach the fourth round.
Jódar strongly denied making contact with the ball girl and offered a different explanation for what happened.
“She was walking backward, I mean, I didn’t push her or anything,” he said.
“I was telling my dad to give me the things that he was going to give me after a toilet break when I was coming back.”
According to Jódar, the ball girl was trying to step aside when she lost her footing.
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“She was in the middle, so I think she was trying to get out of the way. She was going backward, but I think she fell, but not because I pushed her.”
When later asked directly whether he touched her, Jódar gave an even firmer denial.
“I never touched her. I would never do that.”
He also emphasized his respect for the volunteers working at the tournament.
“I appreciate all the work that the ball kids are doing. I know it’s difficult with the heat and the conditions to stay there,” he said.
“I could never push a ball kid.”
Additional footage led many viewers to question the original accusations
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As the video continued circulating, another camera angle began attracting attention online.
Many viewers argued that the clip created an optical illusion and that the ball girl had actually tripped over equipment positioned behind the baseline.
“Perspective matters. He didn’t touch her at all,” one person wrote.
“She tripped on netting. He never touched her. If you slow the tape down, you will see,” another commented.
“He doesn’t, another camera angle shows that he didn’t touch her, and that she tripped as many others have on the stupid advertising boards around the court while moving out of his way,” a third viewer added.
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Others criticized people for rushing to judgment based on a single video.
“Stop jumping to conclusions about people/things based on a single perspective. Check community notes and comments on this one. It's not what it appears.”
“You should have checked before posting, it’s an optical illusion, he in fact did not shove her,” another person wrote.
The court cover behind the baseline became a key part of the explanation
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According to Jódar, the fall was likely caused by a folded court cover positioned behind the baseline.
“The court cover was right behind her,” he explained.
“So when she was walking backward, she fell with that.”
The explanation gained attention because similar issues had already occurred at this year’s French Open.
Belgian player Alexander Blockx reportedly injured his ankle after stepping awkwardly on a court cover during practice and later withdrew from the tournament.
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British player Katie Boulter and Turkish player Zeynep Sönmez had also experienced problems with advertising boards behind the court.
After one incident, Boulter posted on social media, adding, “THESE THINGS HAVE TO GO.”
Those previous accidents led some fans to believe the ball girl’s fall may indeed have been caused by the court setup rather than any physical contact.
The incident drew comparisons to a previous French Open controversy involving a ball kid
Part of the reason the clip attracted so much attention was that Roland Garros had previously dealt with incidents involving ball kids.
In 2023, Japanese doubles player Miyu Kato was defaulted from the French Open after a ball she hit toward the back of the court accidentally struck a ball girl in the neck.
Although the contact was unintentional, tournament officials enforced the rules strictly, and the decision became one of the most debated moments of that year's event.
As a result, any incident involving ball kids tends to receive heightened scrutiny from tennis fans.
Even after additional footage emerged, some viewers remained critical of Jódar.
“Those saying he didn’t touch her, the fact is, he chose to walk right into her. What a ‘gentleman’ thing to do,” one person wrote.
Others felt the controversy had been blown out of proportion.
“The players we see today are more egocentric; fame and money have really made them think they are better,” one commenter argued, while others continued defending the teenager.
People speculated what really happened after clips went viral online
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