Daniil Medvedev Disqualified After Hitting Spectator in the Face at China Open

World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev was disqualified during his China Open semifinal match against Novak Djokovic in Beijing on October 5, following an incident in which a tennis ball he struck hit a spectator in the face. According to reports from Sports Chosun, the disqualification occurred during the second set of the match, as Medvedev trailed 5-7, 3-5.

The Incident During the China Open Semifinal

The sequence began after Djokovic hit a shot that bounced on Medvedev’s side of the court, already securing the point for the Serbian star. Despite the point being concluded, Medvedev hit the ball back toward the net with a backhand motion. The ball traveled into the front row of the spectator seating, striking a male fan in the face. The spectator was seen holding his eye area before being assisted out of the venue. Following the incident, match officials moved to disqualify Medvedev, a decision the Russian player accepted without protest.

Medvedev Apologizes for Accidental Strike

Medvedev expressed immediate remorse for the incident, stating, “I am truly sorry. I just hope he is okay. I want to meet him and provide some form of compensation.” Addressing the nature of the act, he clarified that it was not an intentional strike directed at the crowd. “It was 100% an accident. I wasn’t hitting the ball out of anger. I was just trying to send the ball anywhere,” he explained.

Novak Djokovic’s Progression to the Final

With this result, Novak Djokovic extended his winning streak at the China Open to 33 matches. Commenting on the event, Djokovic stated, “I hope the spectator is not seriously hurt.” Djokovic himself has previously faced disqualification in his career after striking a line judge in the throat with a ball during a tournament match. Following the conclusion of the semifinal, Djokovic was scheduled to face Alex de Minaur on October 6, with the opportunity to claim his seventh China Open title.