World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open match against Novak Djokovic after accidentally hitting a spectator with a ball.
Key facts
- •Daniil Medvedev was disqualified while trailing 7-5, 5-3 in his semi-final match against Novak Djokovic.
- •The spectator struck by the ball was sitting in the first row and required assistance from stadium staff.
- •Novak Djokovic was also disqualified from the US Open in 2020 for a similar incident.
- •Medvedev received a $42,500 fine at the 2025 US Open and a £54,000 fine at the 2025 Australian Open for previous conduct.
- •The other semi-final in Beijing also ended early when Hubert Hurkacz retired due to an adductor injury while trailing Alex de Minaur.
Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open semi-final match against Novak Djokovic on Monday. The incident occurred while Medvedev was trailing 7-5, 5-3, after he struck a ball that had rebounded off the back wall in frustration. The ball traveled into the crowd and struck a spectator in the eye, leading to the player's immediate removal from the tournament.
By the numbers
Incident and Aftermath
The spectator, who was sitting in the first row, appeared to be in pain and was assisted by stadium staff as they left the gallery. Following the match, Medvedev expressed regret, stating he felt "horrible" about the result and described the incident as an accident. He noted that he had attempted to hit the ball toward a neutral area to keep it within the court boundaries and expressed a desire to apologize to the spectator in person. Novak Djokovic, who was his opponent in the match, acknowledged the difficulty of the situation. Djokovic noted that he was shocked by the event but expressed sympathy for Medvedev, citing his own experience of being disqualified from the 2020 US Open under similar circumstances.
Context of Previous Conduct
Medvedev’s career has included several notable disciplinary incidents. In April, during the Monte Carlo Open, he smashed his racket during a loss to Matteo Berrettini. At the 2025 US Open, he was fined $42,500 following an altercation involving a photographer and the umpire. Additionally, at the 2025 Australian Open, he received a £54,000 fine—one of the largest in Grand Slam history—after damaging a net camera with his racket.
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This article was independently rewritten by ManyPress editorial AI from reporting originally published by SCMP Sport, Guardian Sport.
