Daniil Medvedev Disqualified After Hitting Spectator at China Open
Daniil Medvedev Disqualified at China Open Semi-final
Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the China Open during his semi-final match against Novak Djokovic after accidentally hitting a spectator in the face with a ball. The incident occurred when Medvedev, trailing Djokovic 7-5, 5-3, struck a ball in frustration that bounced off the back of the court and hit a fan seated in the front row behind him.
The spectator immediately clutched his face and was assisted out of the arena while still holding his eye. Following a discussion with umpire Mohamed Lahyani and an ATP official, Medvedev came to the net to shake hands with Djokovic and expressed his regret.
"Terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all," Medvedev said. "I'm trying to get in touch with him if he wants it. Hopefully I can apologise in person and see how he feels. I just hope he's OK. That's the most important. I just really care about him right now."
Djokovic, who was himself defaulted from the 2020 US Open for a similar reason, showed sympathy for both the injured fan and Medvedev.
"It's a bit of a shock to be honest. I hope that person is not badly injured," Djokovic said. "I also feel sorry for Daniil. I know exactly how he feels to be disqualified in a big match. I am sure that Daniil did not want to do this intentionally."
Understanding Defaults in Tennis
Defaults in tennis are uncommon and only happen when a player breaks the sport's code of conduct seriously enough to warrant immediate ejection. This includes actions like ball abuse, physical or verbal abuse, or racquet abuse. While players typically receive up to three code violations before defaulting, Medvedev's case led to an instant disqualification.
As a result, Medvedev will forfeit the points and prize money earned from reaching the semi-finals in Beijing.
Medvedev’s Past Conduct and Attempts at Change
The 30-year-old Russian has a reputation for being fiery on court. Last year, he had a public meltdown at the US Open when a photographer stepped onto the court, which led to a fine nearing £31,500 ($42,500). In April, after a heavy loss at the Monte Carlo Masters, he destroyed a racquet and was fined again for unsportsmanlike behaviour.
Medvedev told BBC Sport in 2025 that he was working to manage his emotions better during matches.
"When I'm on the court I hate to lose; I love to win. My first goal is to win the match, so it brings a lot of adrenaline out and it brings all the energy out," he explained. "Sometimes it is a good energy. Sometimes it is a bad one."
Match Summary and Djokovic’s Performance
The disqualification abruptly ended what had been an excellent match. The 39-year-old Djokovic showed great skill to outplay Medvedev, who is nine years younger. Djokovic saved 16 of 18 break points and will face Alex de Minaur in Tuesday’s final.
Djokovic remains unbeaten at the China Open with a 33-0 record and has won the title six times. Although this will be his first final since the Australian Open—where he lost to then world number one Carlos Alcaraz—he reached the Wimbledon semi-finals this year but was eliminated earlier than expected at the French Open and US Open.
Other Tournament Highlights
Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz fought through ups and downs to defeat Jaume Munar and secure a spot in the Japan Open final. Despite struggling with his serve initially, Alcaraz improved steadily to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-1.
Alcaraz had a tough start to the match, leading 5-3 in the first set and serving for it before losing 16 points in a row to drop the opener. He will meet Jiri Lehecka in the final after the Czech player beat Monaco’s Valentin Vacherot 6-4, 6-2.
- Match Details:
- Medvedev vs Djokovic Score Before Default: 7-5, 5-3 (Djokovic leading)
- Djokovic’s China Open Record: 33-0
- Djokovic’s Titles at China Open: 6
- Alcaraz vs Munar Score: 5-7, 6-3, 6-1
- Lehecka vs Vacherot Score: 6-4, 6-2
