In a stunning turn of events at the China Open, world number five Daniil Medvedev has been disqualified from his semi-final match against Novak Djokovic after inadvertently striking a spectator with a tennis ball. The incident occurred on Monday while Medvedev was trailing 7-5, 5-3, bringing an abrupt and controversial end to what had been a highly anticipated clash in Beijing.
The mishap took place after Medvedev lost a point and, in a moment of frustration, struck the ball that had rebounded off the wall. The ball flew into the first row behind him, striking a spectator directly in the eye. The individual was seen clutching their face in visible distress before being escorted out of the gallery by tournament medical staff.
Medvedev immediately acknowledged the gravity of the situation and did not contest the umpire’s decision to disqualify him. As a result of the default, the Russian forfeits all ranking points and prize money earned during the tournament.
“Terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all,” a remorseful Medvedev told reporters following the match. “I’m trying to get in touch with him, if he wants it. Hopefully, I can apologize in person and see how he feels.”
The former US Open champion maintained that the act was entirely unintentional. “The ball was bouncing back, so I tried to just hit it anywhere so it wouldn’t go out of the court. When I saw the result, I felt horrible. I don’t think I have ever been close to such a situation before.”
Novak Djokovic, who is now set to advance to the final, expressed his shock and empathy regarding the incident. The 39-year-old, who famously faced his own disqualification from the 2020 US Open under strikingly similar circumstances, noted the complexity of the moment. “I hope that person is not badly injured,” Djokovic said. “On the other hand, I also feel sorry for Daniil because I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified in a big match.”
The disqualification capped off a chaotic day of tennis in Beijing. Earlier, the first semi-final ended prematurely when Hubert Hurkacz was forced to retire due to an adductor injury. Alex de Minaur was leading that match 6-4, 3-2 at the time of the withdrawal.
For Djokovic, the victory—awarded by default—further cements his legendary status in China. He extended his perfect Beijing record to 33-0, maintaining his streak of the best start to a men’s tournament in the Open Era. Despite the abrupt conclusion, the match had been a “gruelling battle” according to the Serbian, who had been forced to survive long rallies and seven break points.
“It always is a big battle with Daniil,” Djokovic added. “There’s something about Beijing that just keeps me going.”
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