German player disqualified from Wimbledon’s junior tournament after racquet goes into stands

By the Editorial Team · Monday, July 6, 2026

Fifteen-year-old Ida Wobker was disqualified from her first-round Wimbledon junior singles match after throwing her racquet into the stands in frustration. This rare penalty underlines Wimbledon's strict approach to maintaining sportsmanship, even in the junior competition.

A 15-year-old German player was disqualified from the Wimbledon junior tournament after an incident involving her racquet during a first-round girls’ singles match on Saturday. The All England Club confirmed the disqualification of Ida Wobker following the event.

The match was taking place on Court 11 and featured Wobker against Romanian opponent Maria Valentina Pop. After Pop secured the first set 6-0, the second set reached a 5-5 tie. At that moment, Wobker missed a backhand shot, sending the ball long. Frustrated, Wobker threw her racquet toward the court. The racquet subsequently bounced and ended up in the spectator stands.

It remains unclear whether any spectators were struck by the displaced racquet. Wobker retrieved the racquet herself from the stands. After a prolonged review by tournament officials, the chair umpire rendered a decision to default Wobker from the match, citing unsportsmanlike conduct as the reason.

The disqualification marked a rare occurrence in the junior section of the prestigious Grand Slam event, emphasizing the strict enforcement of conduct rules at Wimbledon.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.