A 17-year-old Italian junior tennis player has been sensationally disqualified from the Australian Open after hitting a ballkid.
Maria Vittoria Viviani reportedly left the court in tears after she was automatically defaulted midway through her first round match against Chinese opponent Xin Yu Wang.
Viviani reacted in frustration after sailing a forehand long on set point in the first set and hit a spare ball to her left.
It wasn't hit with any great force but reportedly made contact with the chest of a ballkid. Viviani raised her hand in an apologetic fashion immediately but the chair umpire was not in a forgiving mood.
