Medvedev Defaulted for Hitting Fan With Ball as Djokovic Reaches China Open Final
The Russian struck a spectator while trailing 7-5, 5-3, and Djokovic will face Alex de Minaur on Tuesday
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File photo: Daniil Medvedev at practice at the 2025 Washington Open in July 2025. Photo: Hameltion, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
BEIJING — Daniil Medvedev was defaulted from his China Open semi-final against Novak Djokovic on Monday after a ball he hit in frustration struck a spectator in the face, sending the six-time champion into Tuesday's final, BBC Sport and Reuters reported.
Djokovic led 7-5, 5-3 and was serving for the match at 15-15 when he hit a winner past Medvedev. The ball ricocheted off the back of the court, and Medvedev swiped at it, sending it towards a fan sitting in the front row of the stand behind him, according to BBC Sport.
The spectator clutched his left eye and appeared to be in pain as stadium staff helped him out, Reuters said. Medvedev did not protest the decision and will lose the ranking points and prize money he earned in Beijing.
Medvedev apologises
"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."
He said it was not intentional. "The ball was bouncing back, so I tried to, like, just hit it anywhere, so it doesn't go out from the court. When I saw the result, I mean, I felt horrible," he said, according to Reuters.
Djokovic, who was defaulted from the 2020 US Open in similar circumstances, said: "It's a bit of a shock to be honest. I hope that person is not badly injured," he told BBC Sport. "I also feel sorry for Daniil. I know exactly how he feels to be disqualified in a big match."
Djokovic one win from 102nd title
The pair had battled for two hours and 29 minutes, the ATP Tour said. The 39-year-old Serb saved 16 of the 18 break points he faced and is now 33-0 at the China Open.
"It was a gruelling battle and I definitely didn't want [a] third set," Djokovic said, according to the ATP. He added: "There's something about Beijing that keeps me going."
He will face Alex de Minaur, who reached the final when Hubert Hurkacz retired with an adductor injury while trailing 6-4, 3-2. Djokovic leads the Australian 3-1 in their head-to-head, and a win would give him his 102nd tour-level title, one short of Roger Federer's 103, the ATP said.
Sources: BBC Sport; Reuters; ATP Tour
