Rafael Jodar rejected claims he shoved a ball girl at the French Open, insisting the clip was misleading after he threw a bottle of water during his third-round match against Alex Michelsen.
Rafael Jodar walked out to the post-match press conference with a third-round victory already secured—but the viral clip kept pulling the day back into the spotlight.
During his match against USA’s Alex Michelsen at the French Open on Friday. footage showed Jodar throwing a bottle of water toward someone in his box at Roland-Garros. As he moved toward the backstage area for a bathroom break, a ball girl appeared to cross his path. The girl lost her footing briefly before regaining balance. and in the video Jodar could also be seen gesturing with his left hand toward the person in his box.
In the press conference, Jodar was asked about the “viral clip” and denied any contact. “I didn’t touch her,” he stressed. “No, no, no. I could never do that.”
He then added that what looked like an aggressive moment was, in his view, a conversation unfolding mid-motion. “I didn’t push her or anything. 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,” Jodar explained.
Jodar said he believed the ball girl had been trying to move out of the way and that the fall was not caused by him. “She was in the middle, so I think she was trying to get out of the way. She was going backwards, but I think she, like, fell, but not because I push(ed) her.”
He described what he felt was the key detail behind the moment: the ball girl’s feet had become tangled with the court cover. “It was right behind her. So when she was walking backwards, she fell with that,” he said. Jodar also acknowledged the pressure on ball kids in difficult conditions. “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, so I appreciate. I could never, you know, push a ball kid.”.
The No 27 seed had drawn fierce criticism online after the initial footage. One user shared the clip on X writing: “But Rafael Jodar, he’s a total creep. How he pushes the ball girl – And it’s not the first time I’ve heard that he’s awful off the court”. Another fumed: “Pathetic attitude from Rafa Jodar… I mean he’s talented but this attitude doesn’t belong in the tennis court.”.
But as Jodar spoke at his press conference. defenders also pushed back on the way the moment appeared in the video. One user told others to watch it in slow motion. saying the ball girl was “crossing in front of him and trying to get out of his way” before tripping backwards as she tried to get back in place. Another fan posted that “the angle of the video makes it look like he is pushing the girl. ” pointing to the same moment where Jodar was arguing with his box while gesturing and the girl slipped with the court cover.
On the court, Jodar’s performance moved him to the fourth round at a major for the first time. He beat Alex Michelsen 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3.
He is now set to meet fellow Spaniard Pablo Carreno in the fourth round on Sunday.
Rafael Jodar French Open Roland-Garros Alex Michelsen ball girl tennis backlash Pablo Carreno third round viral clip
Sounds like a PR spin to me.
Wait so he says he didn’t touch her but also he’s throwing water bottles?? Like you can’t be mad at the match and then act shocked when people think you’re doing something. The clip probably looked bad for a reason.
This is what I don’t get—ball girl “tangled with the court cover” like that just magically happens when he walks by? Idk I feel like if it was innocent there wouldn’t be so much controversy. Also why is his dad giving him stuff mid-toilet break??
I saw the part where he gestures and everybody on my feed was like “he shoved her” but the camera angle is always crazy at tennis. Bottle of water or not, people are so quick to assume the worst. Still though if he was “talking” with his dad then why’s he moving like that toward the box? Feels like too many excuses mashed together.