Ballkids are the unseen engines of tennis, trained with precision and discipline to keep matches flowing with speed and efficiency. Their agility and sharp focus make them indispensable across tournaments, cutting down inactive time on court. Yet, at the Morelia Open in Mexico, an unexpected mishap saw a ballkid accidentally injure Stefan Kozlov, turning routine into shock.

A clip from the ATP Challenger Tour event quickly went viral on social media. It showed an unexpected and painful moment involving Stefan Kozlov. At game point, Kozlov was preparing to serve. His opponent, Andres Martin, was already leading 2-0 at that stage.

As Kozlov got ready, a ballkid attempted to pass the ball. The throw, however, came with an awkward drop. Kozlov did not see it coming. The ball struck him directly in the eye.

He immediately fell to the ground. Holding his face, he showed clear signs of pain as the moment stunned everyone on the court. The chair umpire quickly came down to check on him. The ballkid also approached and apologized for the accidental hit.

After the clip went viral, Kozlov reacted online. When a fan wrote, “Stay safe bro, at least on ITF events u dont have ballkids :)”, he replied, “Definitely an overreaction but a surprise tennis ball to the eye doesn’t feel great”.

The match resumed at Grandstand Pablo Arroyo, but Stefan Kozlov failed to recover as Andres Martin cruised to a 6-2, 6-2 win. However, the incident ultimately underscored how rare yet unfortunate such moments are; even ballkids have frequently been on the receiving end of accidental hits in tennis.

Rafael Nadal accidentally hits a ball girl at the Australian Open

While the incident involving Stefan Kozlov was rare, the opposite has happened before. Ballkids have often been accidentally struck by players during matches.

One of the most talked-about moments came at the Australian Open 2020. Rafael Nadal was returning a serve from Federico Delbonis. The ball accidentally hit a ballgirl on the head. She was standing near the umpire’s chair when the incident happened.

The crowd reacted instantly. There was an audible gasp across the stadium as the moment unfolded. The ballgirl quickly signaled she was okay. She gave a thumbs-up, easing the immediate concern.

What followed stood out. Nadal walked over, checked on her, lifted her hat, and gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. The moment went viral online. It was widely shared and praised for its sportsmanship and human touch.

However, not every situation ends positively. A more serious case unfolded at the French Open 2023 involving Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi.

After taking the first set 7-6 and falling 3-1 behind in the second, Miyu Kato accidentally hit a ballgirl during a break in play. The ball struck her head and left her in tears. Umpire Alexandre Juge initially issued only a warning.

The situation escalated quickly. Protests from the opponents, Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo, brought officials Wayne McKewen and Remy Azemar onto the court. After 15 minutes of discussion, the decision was upgraded, and Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi were defaulted, drawing boos from the crowd.

Now, with a reverse incident unfolding at a Mexican ATP Challenger Tour event, the pattern is clear. These moments are rare, unfortunate, and part of tennis’ relentless grind.