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Medvedev Disqualified From China Open After Hitting Spectator With Ball
Confirmed
In Short: Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the China Open after hitting a spectator with a ball during his match against Novak Djokovic.
During a semifinal match against Novak Djokovic, Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the China Open after hitting a spectator with a ball.
Medvedev was trailing 7-5, 5-3 when he hit a backhand that sailed into the stands, striking a spectator in the left eye.
The incident occurred after Djokovic hit a winner beyond Medvedev, causing the ball to bounce off the advertising boards and back towards Medvedev, who then hit a backhand in frustration.
The spectator was helped out of the arena, holding a hand over his left eye, while Medvedev stood on the court watching.
After a conversation with umpire Mohamed Lahyani and a tournament official, Medvedev approached the net to shake hands with Djokovic.
Medvedev acknowledged his mistake, saying, “Terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all.” He added, “I am sure that Daniil did not want to do this intentionally.”
The disqualification was a rare occurrence in tennis, as players typically receive three code violations before being disqualified. However, Medvedev's offense was deemed serious enough to result in an immediate default.
The incident is reminiscent of when Djokovic was disqualified from the 2020 US Open for accidentally hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball.
In addition to Medvedev's disqualification, Coco Gauff withdrew from the upcoming Wuhan Open due to a foot injury, and she also faced racial abuse on social media following an incident in her win over 16-year-old Sun Xinran at the China Open.
Gauff expressed her frustration on social media, stating, “The amount of racist comments/direct messages I've received in the last few hours is insane. Lastly, I'm not a cheater or a thief.”
What this adds
The spectator who was hit by Medvedev's ball was helped away from the arena, and Medvedev did not appear to argue with the disqualification.
What's confirmed
- Djokovic was serving for the match at 7-5, 5-3 when Medvedev hit the ball into the stands in apparent frustration.
- “A bit of a shock, to be honest,” Djokovic said.
- Russia’s Daniil Medvedev disqualified from China Open for hitting spectator with ball during match with Novak Djokovic.
- The incident was reminiscent of when Djokovic was kicked out of the 2020 US Open for accidentally hitting a line judge in the throat with a ball.
What's still developing
- “I was three points away from the win,” Djokovic said.
- Later, Coco Gauff was playing 16-year-old Chinese wild card Sun Xinran, who recently won the US Open junior title.
- The chair umpire and tournament supervisor came down onto the court to talk to Medvedev, who didn’t appear to put up much of an argument with the disqualification.
- Medvedev told BBC Sport in 2025 that he was attempting to work on his on-court behaviour.
- Violations include ball abuse, physical or verbal abuse, or racquet abuse.
- He had a meltdown at last year's US Open when a photographer walked on court, and was fined almost £31,500 ($42,500) for his behaviour.
- "Sometimes it is a good energy. Sometimes it is a bad one."
- The first-row spectator appeared to be in pain clutching his left eye as he left the gallery with the help of stadium personnel.
- Medvedev will lose all points and prize money earned from the event.
- Hubert Hurkacz of Poland, right, shakes hands with Alex De Minaur, of Australia, after he retired from the men's single semi-final match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Monday, Oct.
- Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, celebrates after defeating Alexander Zverev, of Germany, in the men's singles quarterfinals match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Sunday, Oct.
- Iga Swiatek, of Poland, returns a ball to Donna Vekic, of Croatia, during the third round of the women's singles match at the China Open tennis tournament in Beijing, Monday, Oct.