Rafa Jódar Seemingly Shoving Ball Girl at French Open Has Internet Divided

The internet appears to be divided on whether 19-year-old sensation Rafa Jódar shoved a French Open ball girl out of his way, or if he's simply the victim of bad video angles.

The scene unfolded on Friday at the Roland-Garros Tournament, and the video went viral over the weekend. The video in question has amassed 8 million views, with footage taken from the live broadcast showing Jódar seemingly shoving a ball girl as he exited the hallowed red-dirt court.

Jódar, ranked 29th in the world, had just won a thrilling five-set match against the U.S.'s Alex Michelsen. But instead of talking about the win at his post-game conference with a gaggle of reporters, Jódar was peppered with questions about what many viewed as a painfully rude encounter with the ball girl.

Jódar insisted he did not touch the ball girl on his way out of the clay court.

"No, I mean I finished the third, the second, or third set. I don't remember which set it was, and she was walking backwards ... I didn't push her or anything," he insisted. "I was just telling my dad to give me the things that he was going to give me after my toilet break when I was coming back. But yeah, she was in the middle. I think she was trying to get out of the way and she was going backwards. I think she fell but not because I pushed her."

He added that he "didn't touch her" and that he "would never do that."

The Video That Sparked Controversy

mais wsh Jodar pourquoi ??? pic.twitter.com/cVWtWPHAPk

— nywa (@cmoinywa) May 29, 2026

Does This Angle Exonorate Jódar?

Vídeo que demuestra que efectivamente Jódar no empujó a la recogepelotas: https://t.co/MlVhgoKXNzpic.twitter.com/6JofTZPUQU

— Kuku (@KukuSnoow) May 30, 2026

Fans of Jódar are now showing videos from different angles that seem to back the tennis star's statement.

It appears, as he explained, that he motions to his father exactly when the ball girl walking backwards slightly trips and loses her balance.

Jódar is set to play next against Germany's Alexander Zverev, the world's No. 3-ranked player, on Tuesday.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 1, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 1:01 PM.