Cameron Norrie Hits Spectator with Racket in Auckland

Cameron Norrie narrowly avoided disqualification after accidentally hitting a spectator with his tossed racket during his first-round loss to Facundo Diaz Acosta at the Auckland Classic. The incident occurred when Norrie, frustrated by a poor shot, lightly threw his racket into the air, striking a woman in a court-side box, who fortunately was uninjured. Norrie received a warning from the chair umpire and expressed his remorse, stating, "I wasn't meaning to do that but it's still not ideal to be doing that." He acknowledged the potential severity of such actions, referencing past defaults of players like Novak Djokovic and Marc Polmans. Following the incident, the spectator reportedly laughed and reassured Norrie that she was okay. Despite the mishap, Norrie remains focused on his upcoming participation in the Australian Open after a challenging 2024 season.