Miyu Kato and Aldila Sutjiadi were disqualified from the French Open on Sunday after a ballgirl was accidentally hit by a gentle-looking Kato backhand.
The incident happened when the Japanese player and her Indonesian partner were leading 3-1 in the second set after opponents Marie Bouzkova and Sara Sorribes Tormo had claimed the opener.
Standing at the net, Kato gently lobbed a ball in the direction of the ballgirl standing at the opposite end of Court 14 but it hit the youngster on the back of the head.
Kato, 28, immediately apologised to the girl who was crying and shaking.
Kato was warned but the supervisor was then called to the court and the pair were disqualified from the third round match after Bouzkova and Sorribes Tormo had protested to the umpire.
