Fifteen-year-old German junior Ida Wobker has been disqualified from Wimbledon following a flash of anger led to her racquet flying into the stands and striking a spectator.
Wobker, currently ranked No.24 in the ITF junior rankings, was ordered to stop playing immediately after throwing her racquet during the second set against opponent Valentina Pop.
Ida Wobker was disqualified from her match. ESPN
The chair umpire promptly called a supervisor to the court, who was briefed on the situation before heading into the crowd to check if anyone had been injured.
The All England Club maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy towards on-court outbursts. Upon assessing the situation, the supervisor determined that Wobker’s match was over.
“Game, set and match,” he instructed to the chair umpire.
The umpire then announced to the crowd that Wobker was receiving a code violation for unsportsmanlike conduct, officially defaulting the match.
The All England Club’s referees’ office later confirmed the disqualification was a direct result of the racquet making contact with a spectator.
The International Tennis Foundation rules state that tennis players “shall not violently or with anger hit, kick or throw a racquet or other equipment within the precincts of the tournament site.”
Wobker later took to social media to address her exit, writing in an Instagram story, “Shit happens, you learn from it!”
