World No 1 Novak Djokovic has said that he cannot guarantee he will not make a similar mistake to the one that led to his disqualification at the US Open for striking a line judge with a ball.
The Serb was disqualified in the fourth round in New York when he hit a ball in frustration after dropping serve in the first set against Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta, hitting line judge Laura Clark in her throat.
Djokovic, who had already apologised for the incident, said that he called on the lineswoman to check on her health since the incident at Flushing Meadows.
"I cannot promise or cannot guarantee that I will never ever do anything similar to that in my life," Djokovic told a news conference at the Italian Open on Monday.
"I'm trying to be the best version of myself on the court and off the court and I understand that I have outbursts and this is kind of the personality and the player that I have always been.
"I'm going to take this in as profound as possible for me as a big lesson."
Following the incident, the tournament organisers confirmed Djokovic was fined $250,000 (Dh918,000) – his prize money for reaching round four. The 33-year-old was also fined an additional $10,000 for unsportsmanlike conduct.
"There was a lot of speculation about whether it was deserved. I accepted it, I moved on," Djokovic said. "Of course I didn't forget about it, I don't think I'll ever forget about it."
In Djokovic's absence, Austria's second-seeded Dominic Thiem claimed his maiden Grand Slam title in New York after he came back from two sets down to beat German Alexander Zverev in the final on Sunday.
"I watched the final last night until the end of the fourth set. You know, I want to congratulate both of these guys," Djokovic said.
"For Dominic to lose three [slam] finals and start the match not on a very high level but then come back and win in such fashion is very inspiring."
The disqualification, however, gave Djokovic more time to regroup before his claycourt opener at this week's Italian Open – a tune-up for the French Open starting Sept. 27.
"It's great I have a tournament a week or 10 days after it happened because I feel the earlier I get back in competition mode the faster I'll overcome the memory and reprogramme it. I'm hoping for the best," said the 17-times Grand Slam winner.
Rafa Nadal, bidding for a record-extending 13th French Open title, is returning after more than six months on Tour having skipped the US Open due to COovid-19 concerns.
"For the guys who are playing US Open, it's very close, very tight after an exhausting month of tennis in the States on different surfaces," said Djokovic. "Rafa obviously decided to stay on clay and practice.
"I mean, surely that gives him more advantage, but even if he didn't practice for that long on clay, he would still be the No 1 favourite in Roland Garros or any other clay tournament ... he's the ultimate challenge."
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
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Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
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Specs
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RESULTS
5pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Purebred Arabian Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (Turf) 1,600m
Winner: Hameem, Adrie de Vries (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)
5.30pm: Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak Cup Conditions (PA) Dh 200,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
6pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Cup Listed (TB) Dh 380,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: Boerhan, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard
6.30pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Group 3 (PA) Dh 500,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner: AF Alwajel, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
7pm: Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan National Day Jewel Crown Group 1 (PA) Dh 5,000,000 (T) 2,200m
Winner: Messi, Pat Dobbs, Timo Keersmaekers
7.30pm: Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan Racing Festival Handicap (PA) Dh 150,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: Harrab, Ryan Curatolo, Jean de Roualle
8pm: Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner: AF Alareeq, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
