A junior Italian tennis player was controversially disqualified from the opening round of the Australian Open for hitting a ball kid with a tennis ball.

Seventeen-year-old Maria Vittoria Viviani was sent packing from Melbourne Park in tears after she was automatically disqualified for hitting the ball at the child after losing the opening set.

Italian journalists described the force as minimal, and a video appeared to show the contact was unintentional, though the ball kid was struck in the chest.

The video caught Viviani hitting the ball toward the sideline, then immediately apologising, raising her hand in the air with remorse for her minor outburst.

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However, the umpire wasn't tolerant of the behaviour and disqualified the Italian from the tournament after losing the opening set 6-2 to Chinese opponent Xin Yu Wang.

On the same day, Japan's Kei Nishikori softly swatted a ball away and made contact with a ball kid during his fourth round clash against Roger Federer; however, he went unsanctioned for the accidental contact.

Viviani isn't the first Italian tennis player to be disqualified in Australia, with Stefano Pescosolido booted out of the Sydney International in 1992 after throwing his racquet, which bounced off the court and hit a spectator in the stands.

Viviani's heartbreak evoked memories of John McEnroe being disqualified at Melbourne Park in 1990 - 27 years and one day ago.