Daniil Medvedev Disqualified From China Open Semi-Final After Hitting Spectator With Ball

The Guardian Sport•Published: Oct 5, 2026 08:05 PM IST

Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open semi-final against Novak Djokovic after striking a rebounding ball in frustration that hit a spectator in the eye. The Russian world No 5 was trailing 7-5, 5-3 when the incident occurred, prompting immediate stadium assistance for the injured front-row fan and an automatic default from the match. Djokovic advanced to the final by default to face Alex de Minaur, whose semi-final opponent Hubert Hurkacz retired with an injury.

Accidental Impact: Medvedev expressed deep remorse and stated the ball strike was entirely accidental, explaining he was merely trying to clear a bouncing ball off the back wall.
Match Default: The disqualification handed Novak Djokovic a walkover victory into the final, mirroring a similar disqualification Djokovic himself experienced at the 2020 US Open.
History of Incidents: The default adds to Medvedev's fiery on-court reputation, following previous high-profile fines and outbursts at the US Open, Australian Open, and Monte Carlo Open.

The Context & Background

Medvedev's disqualification sent shockwaves through the Beijing tournament as matches concluded abruptly. Meanwhile, Novak Djokovic expressed empathy for his opponent's plight, acknowledging the unique mental weight of being disqualified from a major tournament.

Why it matters:Player safety and crowd control are paramount in professional tennis, making on-court ball abuse a severe safety violation. This high-profile disqualification highlights the ongoing challenge of managing player temperaments under intense competitive pressure while safeguarding fans.

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