Rafael Jodar has denied pushing a ball girl during his French Open victory over Alex Michelsen, with spectators and social media users appearing to support his account. But the incident has nevertheless drawn attention because it is not the first time the Spaniard has found himself at the center of an on-court controversy. Last year, Jodar was defaulted during an ACC Championship match after he smacked a ball in frustration that bounced and struck the side fence dangerously close to Stanford reserve players.The latest episode unfolded during Jodar's third-round match at Roland Garros on Friday, May 29 when social media footage appeared to show a ball girl losing her balance as the Spaniard walked past her between sets. While some viewers questioned whether contact had occurred, Jodar insisted he never touched her and said she tripped while attempting to move out of his way.However, other camera angles appeared less conclusive, and several spectators who attended the match reportedly said the footage created a misleading impression of Jodar pushing a ball girl.Social media footage of Rafael Jodar's ball girl video started the debateThe incident occurred shortly after Jodar threw a water bottle toward his player box. As he walked toward the sideline, a ball girl moved across his path and briefly lost her footing before regaining her balance.One X user who claimed to have been seated on the opposite side of the court disputed suggestions that Jodar had pushed the ball girl.“I was sitting on the other side of the angle from this video and he wasn’t anywhere near her. She actually tripped on the tarp at the back (which some players have even done and complained about this week). His gesture was to his dad/box.”— fo94458237 (@fo94458237) Until now, no definitive camera angle emerged that clearly showed contact between the player and the ball girl.Jodar denies any contact with ball girlFollowing the match, Jodar firmly rejected claims that he had pushed the ball girl. “I didn’t touch her,” he said. “No, no, no. I could never do that,” he said during an interview.The Spaniard explained that he had been signaling to his father, who was seated in his player box, and that the ball girl appeared to stumble while trying to move out of his way.“I didn’t push her or anything. I was telling my dad to give me the things that he was going to give me after a toilet break when I was coming back,” Jodar explained after the match. “She was in the middle, so I think she was trying to get out of the way. She was going backwards, but I think she, like, fell, but not because I push(ed) her.”Jodar added that the ball girl appeared to get caught on a court covering positioned behind her.“It was right behind her. So when she was walking backwards, she fell with that,” he said. “I appreciate all the work that the ball kids are doing. I know it’s difficult with the heat and the conditions to stay there, so I appreciate. I could never, you know, push a ball kid.”The 27th-seeded Spaniard went on to defeat Michelsen 7-6 (2), 6-7 (5), 4-6, 6-3, 6-3, reaching the fourth round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time in his career.Rafa Jodar’s controversy at ACC ChampionshipWhile the French Open incident appears unlikely to result in disciplinary action during the match, it is not the first time Jodar has found himself at the center of controversy on a tennis court.Earlier in 2025, while representing the University of Virginia at the ACC Men's Tennis Championship against Stanford, Jodar was reportedly defaulted after striking a ball in frustration during a tense singles match.According to a report by Cavalier Daily, the incident occurred on April 20, 2025 with Jodar trailing 5-3 in the second set. “But in a shocking moment, with Jódar trailing 5-3 in the second set, the match came to an abrupt end,” the student-run daily news organization at the University of Virginia wrote before detailing the incident. “After losing a game and falling further behind, Jódar launched a ball toward the fence in frustration. The act resulted in an automatic default, awarding the match to Stanford and tying the team score at 1-1 in the most unexpected way." Daily Press journalist Sonny Dearth also described the incident on X at the time. “Crazy stuff. UVA's Rafa Jodar was defaulted in a close match at 1 when he smacked a ball in anger that bounced and hit the side fence way too close to some Stanford reserve players.”— sdearth (@sdearth) Another X user posted: “UVA’s Rafa Jodar is defaulted after hitting a ball into the fence towards the Stanford bench. Harsh and monumental punishment.”Following the ball girl controversy at Roland Garros, users revisiting the older posts drew comparisons between the two incidents. Several commenters said they had discovered the ACC Championship posts only after seeing discussion of the French Open footage, while others shared clips of the latest incident beneath the year-old tweets.— blubbery488204 (@blubbery488204) Unlike the French Open episode, where Jodar insists no contact occurred, the ACC Championship incident resulted in an immediate default under tennis rules governing unsportsmanlike conduct and player safety.