British number two Cameron Norrie accidentally hit a spectator with his racket during his defeat in the opening round of the ASB Classic in Auckland.
Norrie was knocked out in straight sets by Argentina’s Facundo Diaz Acosta, losing 6-2 6-3.
As the match slipped out of his grasp, the world number 48 could be seen letting his frustration get to him.
Footage from the match showed the 29-year-old throw his racket in anger and accidentally hit a spectator in the front row of the centre court.
Norrie said in a post-match interview with Radio New Zealand (RNZ): “I apologised to the woman, and she was OK… it barely touched her and she was laughing.
“But I didn’t mean to do that, and it was definitely a wake-up call.”
Norrie, who grew up in Auckland, said his own match had been a “shocker”.
“I was missing the ball a lot…I’m disappointed in my attitude, I couldn’t find the ball at all,” Norrie told RNZ.
“I wanted to come here and play well, and it ended up being the complete opposite.”
Acosta will face compatriot Sebastian Baez in the second round.
