Novak Djokovic was caught up in a controversy after reaching over the net to hit a ball in his Miami quarterfinal against Andy Murray. With Murray serving at 5-6 in the first set, Djokovic hit a volley to win the first point of the game. Replays clearly showed that Djokovic had reached over the net to hit the ball, which is against the rules.
Murray argued with the umpire after no call was made, and also questioned Djokovic, who said little. After losing the point, Murray dropped his serve at love to give Djokovic the first set. Murray would go on to lose the match, 7-5, 6-3.
The umpire told Murray that in his view, Djokovic had been in line with the net, but did not reach over it.
Djokovic later said he had reached over the net, but indicated that he thought he had been within the rules.
"It might be my mistake as well," Djokovic said afterwards in an ESPN interview with Brad Gilbert.
''I think I cross the net with the racquet, I didn't touch the net," he said, referring to last year's French Open semifinal against Rafael Nadal, when touching the net appeared to turn the match the Spaniard's favor in the fifth set.
''Maybe the rule is you [can] not hit on his side with the racquet. I'm not sure. You tell me."
"I knew it was close," Murray said to reporters following the match. "So that's why I went and asked Novak and he told me he was over the net. That was it."
Murray eventually cut off questioning, saying, "If it was over the net, it was over the net. I was right to complain and that's it."
Djokovic acknowledged that Murray seemed to be affected by the call. "Obviously that distracted him," he said.
The Serb is otherwise known for giving calls to his opponents, as well as for applauding their good shots.
"For me, it's something as normal," Djokovic said after giving away a point to Tommy Robredo in his previous match. "If I judge that I couldn't win the point, that I had no chance to get that ball back in court, or if I see the ball good, I'm going to tell him to challenge it. For me it's something that is part of the sport, and fair play.
"I think [I] expect everybody to do the same. Of course, not everybody else is the same, but for me that's something that's normal."