Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the China Open on Monday after striking a spectator with a ball hit into the stands during his semifinal against Novak Djokovic in Beijing. The default cost Medvedev all ranking points and prize money, per Sky Sports.
Djokovic was serving for the match at 7-5, 5-3 when Medvedev hit the ball into the stands after it bounced off a wall following a Djokovic winner. The spectator had to leave his seat holding his eye before Medvedev was informed he would not be allowed to continue.
The main development: a default and an apology
Tournament officials defaulted Medvedev on the spot, handing Djokovic the semifinal win and a spot in Tuesday’s final. Medvedev addressed the incident afterward, saying he was trying to reach the fan directly.
“Terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all I’m trying to get in touch with him, if he wants it,” Medvedev said, according to Sky Sports. “It was 100 per cent accident. You can see I didn’t hit the ball in anger.
When I saw the result, I felt horrible. Hopefully I can meet him and make up for it somehow.”
Djokovic, who was defaulted from the 2020 US Open after accidentally hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball, said he did not see the moment unfold. “It is a bit of a shock, to be honest. I am sorry for the person.
I didn’t see what happened. I hope the person is not badly injured,” Djokovic said, according to Sky Sports. “I feel sorry for Daniil as I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified in a big match.
I’m sure he didn’t want to do this intentionally.”
What it means: Djokovic through, Medvedev out empty-handed
The default pushes Djokovic’s record at the China Open to 33-0 and sends him into Tuesday’s final against Alex de Minaur, who advanced earlier Monday when Hubert Hurkacz retired with an apparent injury while trailing 6-4, 3-2 in the second set, according to the Houston Chronicle. It marked Djokovic and Medvedev’s first meeting since Djokovic beat the Russian in the 2023 US Open final.
Because the loss came via disqualification rather than a straight defeat, Medvedev forfeits the ranking points and prize money he would have earned for reaching the semifinal, per Sporting News. Had the match played out, Medvedev appeared headed for a loss regardless: Djokovic had saved 16 of 18 break points faced in the marathon contest, which ran just shy of two and a half hours, according to Sky Sports.
Context: Medvedev China Open mirrors Djokovic’s 2020 default
The moment drew immediate comparisons to Djokovic’s own default at the 2020 US Open, when he struck a line judge with a ball while arguing a call. Djokovic, 39, won the China Open six times between 2009 and 2015 before returning to Beijing this year. He had dropped out of the world’s top 10 before this run in Beijing lifted him back into that elite group. He reached the Australian Open final in January, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets, per ESPN.
What’s next
Djokovic faces de Minaur in Tuesday’s China Open final in Beijing.
Reporting from ESPN, Sporting News, Sky Sports and Houstonchronicle contributed to this story.
