Tennis Fans Stunned By 'Completely Legal' Shot To Win Australian Open Point

The Australian Open is now fully underway - sans Djokovic, of course - with fans flocking to see the biggest names in the sport go head to head.

However, even without the world number one, the event is not without controversy.

Away from the legal wrangling of Djokovic's participation, spectators were flabbergasted when they went to watch Pablo Carreño Busta's second round match against Tallon Griekspoor.

The controversy occurred during a tense rally between the two players, which saw Busta win the point with a truly bizarre shot.

Dutchman Griekspoor attempted an overhead smash, however, he misjudged the flight of the ball and made contact with the tip of his racket.

Having not hit it properly, the ball travelled considerably slower, just about making it to the other side of the net.

However, the back spin on the ball caused it to bounce and go in the opposite direction.

Thinking on his feet, the Spaniard raced over and around the net, onto his opponent's side, and tapped the ball, winning the point.

He then raced away in celebration as the rest of the stadium looked on in disbelief.

A bemused Griekspoor looked around in shock at what had just happened.

Commentating on the match, John Fitzgerald said: "Oh my goodness. Perfectly legitimate, and great anticipation there from Carreño Busta... playbook right here for this year's Australian Open.

"This smash comes off the tip of the racket, it spins, just goes over the net and is going back over the other side of the net. Carreño Busta senses it... oh, that's sensational."

He added: "Completely legal as long as he doesn't touch the net, and he doesn't."

And to add insult to injury, Busta went on to win the match in five sets, ending Griekspoor's 29-match winning streak.

But while it may be a perfectly legal shot, it bamboozled viewers watching at home.

One fan asked: "Is it legal?"

Another shocked viewer chimed in: "Saw it live. Still in disbelief he nailed it."

A third said: "Amazing – hitting on the other side of the net. I have never seen this in 40+ years of watching tennis!"

While another added: "One of the shots of the tournament so far."

Featured Image Credit: Alamy

Topics: Australia