For Stefan Kozlov, losing 6–2, 6–2 to Andres Martin in the first round of the 2026 Morelia Challenger was not the only thing that stung. The American was already having a tough afternoon, and to add to his misery, something unusual happened on court between him and a ball kid. The ball kid tossed the ball toward Kozlov, and it hit him in the face. What followed made far more headlines than the result itself.

The 28-year-old fell to the ground and covered his face in serious agony. The chair umpire quickly came down to check on him, and the ball boy also approached and apologized. He then engaged in a long conversation with the umpire, furious that the ball boy had hit him accidentally. But he eventually came around.

“After some reflection, I want to apologize for my reaction after being hit in the eye yesterday. It was an accident, and I shouldn’t have responded the way I did. I let the emotions of a difficult time on court get the best of me in that moment. I take responsibility, and I’m sorry to the ball kid and everyone involved,” Kozlov wrote on X.

The video, which had gone viral, received a response that was mostly negative. Some of the sharper remarks going around were along the lines of, ‘I think he used to be a footballer,’ while others simply pointed out that he was already losing the match before the incident. Much of the commentary surrounding the clip labeled it an ‘overreaction.’

However, the apology was straightforward. His admission that frustration from a rough spell on the court had spilled over was telling; he had been beaten 6–2 in the first set before the incident, and his composure had clearly eroded well before the ball kid entered the picture.

The 28-year-old has fallen to No. 265 in the world rankings, a drastic decline from his career-high of No. 103 in 2022, and has been working the Challenger circuit to reassert himself. Morelia was another disappointing stop on that road.

Furthermore, this incident also served as a reminder of how quickly these on-court situations can get out of control and how different players have handled similar situations in the past.

Tennis has seen its share of ball kid incidents

Not all interactions between a ball kid and a player result in controversy. Some of the most memorable moments in the sport have come from such incidental collisions, and the difference in reactions could not have been more dramatic.

At the 2020 Australian Open, Rafael Nadal accidentally hit a ball girl directly in the head with a powerful forehand return during a second-round match. The response was sudden and candid. Nadal ran to the net, grabbed her hat, and pecked her on the cheek. After his 6-3, 7-6, 6-1 victory, he gave her his headband as a personal apology.

“I was so scared for her. The ball was quick and straight on the head. She is a super brave girl,” Nadal said afterward.

It also happens to be one of the most favorably recalled moments of that tournament.

Moving on, the most serious ball-related incident in tennis history happened at the 2020 US Open.

Novak Djokovic was playing against Pablo Carreño Busta in the fourth round. He dropped his serve, and in frustration, he accidentally hit a lineswoman in the throat. Although the contact was not intentional, the tournament officials had no option under the rulebook but to default Djokovic from the match. The world No. 1 was a title contender, and many believe that he was robbed of the Grand Slam. Busta was handed a walkover, and this remains one of the most dramatic exits in Grand Slam history. 

However, in an event where the quality of manners is reviewed at all levels, from Grand Slams to Challengers, the reaction of a player at those moments is as significant as the event itself. Kozlov’s apology suggests that he understood that what he had done was not correct, an admission that helps maintain the integrity of the sport.