Novak Djokovic advanced to the 146th singles final of his career at the ATP 500 tournament in Beijing, securing his place on Monday after Daniil Medvedev was disqualified late in the second set, as reported by lefigaro.fr. At the time of the default, the former world number one led 7-5, 5-3 with the score at 15-15, following a high-level contest on the hard courts of the Chinese capital.
Disqualification ends tense semifinal clash in Beijing
The abrupt end came in the second set. Frustrated, Medvedev struck a ball toward the spectators seated behind the baseline after it had rebounded off the advertising boards. Following a brief discussion on court, the chair umpire signaled a disqualification, handing Djokovic the victory and his first tour-level final appearance since the Australian Open in January.
Physical fatigue and palpable tension had characterized the match before the incident. According to lavenir.net, Djokovic expressed frequent displeasure with the speed of ball kids and towel attendants, while Medvedev struggled to convert break points, successfully converting only 2 of his 18 opportunities during the gruelling encounter.
Thirty-third win on Beijing hard courts
The result extends a historic streak for the Serbian veteran in Beijing. Seventeen years after his tournament debut at the China Open in 2009, Djokovic notched his 33rd victory on the venue’s hard courts, a run that also includes a walkover win in the second round of the 2010 edition, noted lavenir.net. Records show he is the only player in history to maintain an undefeated main-draw record of this length at a single tournament, having surpassed Rafael Nadal’s initial 31-match winning streak at Roland-Garros.
While Djokovic suffered a defeat on these same grounds in the semifinals of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, his dominance in the ATP event began the following year and has remained unblemished.
Alex De Minaur awaits in the championship match
Whether Djokovic can cap his remarkable run in Beijing with another trophy against De Minaur remains the central question as tournament officials prepare for Tuesday’s scheduled final.
More on Novak Djokovic
Keep reading
