Daniil Medvedev’s China Open campaign ended in one of the most extraordinary ways imaginable on Monday when the Russian was disqualified from his semi-final against Novak Djokovic after hitting a spectator with a tennis ball.
Medvedev was already under pressure against Djokovic in Beijing. The third seed had lost a tight opening set 7-5 and was trailing 5-3 in the second when frustration boiled over.
Djokovic had just hit a winner beyond Medvedev for 15-15. As the ball ricocheted back from behind the court, Medvedev swung at it in frustration and sent his backhand high into the stands. The ball struck a spectator sitting in the front row, appearing to hit him in the face or eye.
The fan immediately doubled over and held his face. He was later helped out of the arena while still covering his eye.
The match was stopped as officials assessed the situation. Medvedev spoke with chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani and an ATP official before approaching the net to shake hands with Djokovic.
There was no prolonged argument from the Russian. Instead, Medvedev appeared devastated by what had happened.
“Terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all,” Medvedev said afterwards. “I’m trying to get in touch with him, if he wants it. Hopefully I can apologise in person and see how he feels.”
He added: “I just hope he’s OK. That’s the most important. I just really care about him right now.”
The incident was treated as a serious code violation and resulted in an immediate default rather than the normal accumulation of penalties. Under ATP rules, ball abuse includes violently, dangerously or angrily hitting, kicking or throwing a tennis ball outside the reasonable pursuit of a point. Serious violations can lead to an immediate default.
That distinction is important because Medvedev did not appear to deliberately target the spectator. The consequences of the action, however, made the situation serious enough for officials to end the match.
For Medvedev, it was a brutal way to leave a tournament in which he had been playing some of his best tennis.
The 30-year-old had reached the last four in Beijing and was just two games away from forcing Djokovic to serve for the match when the default occurred. Instead of having the opportunity to fight his way back into the contest, his tournament was over instantly.
The financial and ranking consequences are also significant. Medvedev forfeited the ranking points and prize money earned during his run in Beijing, making the incident particularly costly at a crucial stage of the season. Reports put the lost prize money at around $219,000, along with 200 ATP ranking points.
There was also a strange sense of déjà vu for Djokovic.
Six years ago, the Serbian experienced almost exactly the kind of nightmare that Medvedev faced in Beijing.
At the 2020 US Open, Djokovic was defaulted from his fourth-round match against Pablo Carreno Busta after hitting a ball in frustration that struck a line judge. Like Medvedev, Djokovic did not intend to injure anyone, but the incident still resulted in his immediate disqualification.
That made Djokovic’s reaction in Beijing particularly understanding.
“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.”
The Serbian also made it clear that he did not believe Medvedev intended to hurt anyone.
“I am sure that Daniil did not want to do this intentionally,” Djokovic said.
It was an unusually sympathetic response from a player who knows first-hand how devastating such a moment can be.
The bizarre ending overshadowed what had otherwise been an excellent contest. Djokovic, now 39, had produced another high-level performance against a player nine years younger, saving 16 of the 18 break points he faced.
The victory extended Djokovic’s remarkable China Open record to 33-0. He has won the tournament six times and has never lost a match in Beijing. His latest victory also means he has reached another final at a stage of his career when every deep run carries additional significance.
Djokovic will now face Alex de Minaur in Tuesday’s final.
The Australian reached the championship match after Hubert Hurkacz retired during their semi-final while trailing 6-4, 3-2. That means neither of the China Open semi-finals reached a conventional conclusion, giving the tournament a remarkably unusual finish to its final-four stage.
For Djokovic, however, the focus will quickly turn to the chance of winning another title.
He has not won a title since the Hellenic Championship nearly a year ago and Tuesday’s final will give him an opportunity to end that drought. His run in Beijing has already included victories over top opposition, including Alexander Zverev, and his unbeaten record at the tournament remains intact.
Medvedev, meanwhile, will be left to reflect on another incident involving his emotions on court.
The Russian has long been one of tennis’ most combustible personalities. His passion and intensity have helped make him one of the sport’s most entertaining figures, but they have also repeatedly landed him in trouble.
Last year’s US Open featured another major meltdown involving a photographer who entered the court, while earlier this year Medvedev smashed a racquet after losing 6-0, 6-0 to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte Carlo Masters. He was fined for unsportsmanlike conduct following that incident.
Medvedev has previously acknowledged that controlling his emotions is something he continues to work on.
“When I’m on the court I hate to lose; I love to win,” he told BBC Sport in 2025. “Sometimes it is a good energy. Sometimes it is a bad one.”
The China Open incident will undoubtedly fall into the latter category.
Still, there is an important difference between losing control and deliberately trying to hurt somebody. Medvedev’s immediate concern was for the spectator, and his willingness to apologise personally showed how seriously he viewed what had happened.
The priority now is the condition of the fan who was struck.
For Djokovic, the strange ending means another China Open final and another chance to add to an already remarkable record in Beijing. For Medvedev, it is a painful reminder that a single moment of frustration can completely change the course of a match — and sometimes an entire tournament.
The China Open semi-final was shaping up to be another memorable battle between two of the biggest names of the modern era. Instead, it ended with an empty court, a concerned spectator leaving the arena and Medvedev watching his tournament disappear in a matter of minutes.
It is the kind of ending neither player, nor the tournament, will forget anytime soon.
Stay tuned with ROKOCRICKET for more breaking tennis and sports updates, and subscribe for the latest stories, match reports and major moments from the world of sport.
