Novak Djokovic apologises for hitting a line judge

Novak Djokovic, the world’s highest sports earner has apologised for accidentally hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball.

The world number one was playing Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta when he took a ball out of his pocket and hit it behind him, striking the woman in the neck and causing her visible pain.

Djokovic, who was disqualified by officials after lengthy discussions, checked on the woman before leaving the court and said he was “extremely sorry”.

In a public apology posted on Instagram, the 17-time grand slam winner promised to “turn this all into a lesson for my growth and evolution as a player and human being”.

He will lose all ranking points and prize money earned at the tournament.