.png)
Having a 96mph serve getting fired at your tennis balls at Wimbledon is really not the one.
The extremely painful moment was captured on live TV as Tommy Paul took on Alexander Bublik in the third round of Wimbledon earlier this month (5 July).
And it was the American 12th seed who came out on top against Kazakhstan’s Bublik in three straight sets.
However, during the match, Paul hit his opponent with a rather out-of-control serve - which landed straight into Mel Merrett's nuts.
Advert
The 51-year-old was watching court-side when BBC cameras caught the ball smashing off the grass into his crown jewels.
Speaking to The Sun, the father-of-two said: “I’d just started to relax and spread out a bit.
“Everyone around me was cheering the point. No one except my friend really noticed I had been hit in my balls.”
As expected, the graphic designer from Orpington, South East London said it was an extremely painful experience.
Advert
“I was in so much agony I couldn’t even pick up the tennis ball,” he added.
“What made it worse is the BBC captured it live on TV, so all my mates have seen it.
“It’s still throbbing now.
“It’s certainly reduced many of my friends to tears of laughter despite my real tears of pain.”
Advert
Well, it seems that karma might have struck as Paul was then knocked out of the tournament just days later by Carlos Alcaraz.
The Spanish defending champion clinched a 5-7 6-4 6-2 6-2 victory on Tuesday (9 July) to reach the Wimbledon semi-finals.
“I felt the difference playing on Centre Court and on Court One. The grass is different,” Alcaraz said.
“Obviously I feel like it was more sand on Court One than Centre Court. I don’t want to say holes.
Advert
“There were more matches on Court One than Centre Court, I had to adapt my game on that.
“I didn’t feel comfortable at all playing on Court One with the conditions on it. As I said, I had to adapt my game on it. I tried to play my best tennis on it.
“Yeah, I think at the end I found it, I found my best tennis and my good tennis just to feel comfortable on it.
“I know that there are going to be some matches that I’m not going to find my best tennis even though I have to try to win it.
“I think that’s what the big three did along their career.
Advert
“That’s what I’m thinking. When I’m not playing my best tennis, I’m going to try to find solutions just to be a bit better, just to beat the opponent.”
The tennis ace takes on Daniil Medvedev on centre court today (12 July).
Anish Vij