The Russian was defaulted mid-match against Novak Djokovic after a frustrated swipe sent the ball into a spectator’s face, echoing Djokovic’s own US Open disqualification in 2020.
Daniil Medvedev has been disqualified from the China Open after a ball he struck in frustration hit a spectator in the face during his semi-final against Novak Djokovic.
The incident was reported by Daily Guide Network. Medvedev, seeded third at the tournament, was behind at 7-5, 5-3 when Djokovic hit a winner past him to make it 15-15 in the game.
How it happened
The ball bounced off the back of the court and came back towards Medvedev. Clearly annoyed, he swung a backhand at it. The ball flew into the air and struck a fan seated in the front row of the stand directly behind him.
The spectator bent over holding his face and was still holding his eye as he was helped out of the arena.
Under the rules of the ATP, the body that runs the men's professional tennis tour, striking a ball recklessly and hitting a person can lead to an immediate default, meaning the player loses the match on the spot rather than receiving only a warning or a points penalty.
Medvedev spoke with the chair umpire, Mohamed Lahyani, and an ATP official before walking to the net to shake hands with Djokovic. The match was over.
Medvedev apologises
The Russian said afterwards that his main concern was the condition of the fan.
"I just hope he's OK. That's the most important," Medvedev said. He added that he was trying to make contact with the spectator so he could apologise in person, if the man was willing.
No update on the extent of the fan's injuries was given.
Djokovic knows the feeling
Djokovic, who advanced as a result of the default, said he was shaken by what he saw and hoped the spectator was not badly hurt.
The Serb has first-hand experience of exactly this situation. He was defaulted from the 2020 US Open after hitting a line judge with a ball struck in frustration, a moment that ended his campaign at one of the sport's four Grand Slam tournaments.
"I am sure that Daniil did not want to do this intentionally," Djokovic said, adding that he felt sorry for Medvedev because he knew how it felt to be disqualified from a big match.
Why it matters
The China Open in Beijing is one of the bigger stops on the men's tour calendar during the Asian swing, and semi-final appearances carry significant ranking points and prize money. A default wipes out any further gain from the week.
For tennis followers in Ghana and in the Ghanaian community in the United States, where the sport draws large audiences around the US Open, the episode is a reminder that the default rule applies regardless of a player's ranking or the stage of the tournament.
