ATP China Open
Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the ATP China Open on Monday after a ball he hit into the crowd struck a spectator in the face. He was trailing Novak Djokovic 7-5, 5-3 in the semi-final in Beijing, and Djokovic goes through to the final.
What Happened
Djokovic hit a volley winner, and the ball rebounded off the advertising boards back towards Medvedev. He hit it with a backhand, and it flew into the stands, where it hit a spectator in the front row. The spectator was seen holding their eye and was escorted out of the seating area by stadium staff. Medvedev appeared to raise a hand in apology straight away.
The chair umpire and the tournament supervisor defaulted Medvedev. Reports said the rules require a default when a ball hits a spectator, whatever the player’s intent. Medvedev did not argue and shook hands with Djokovic at the net. No update on the spectator’s condition had been published at the time of writing.
What Medvedev Said
Medvedev said it was “100% an accident”: the ball was coming back off the boards and he tried to put it somewhere in play. He said he felt terrible when he saw the result and was sorry to the spectator, and that he would try to get in touch to apologise in person if the spectator wanted that.
Djokovic’s Reaction
Djokovic said he hoped the spectator was not badly hurt and that he felt for Medvedev. He knows what it is like: he was disqualified from the 2020 US Open after hitting a ball that struck a line judge. The win took his record at the China Open to 33 matches without a defeat, and he plays Alex de Minaur in the final on Tuesday. Our China Open final preview has the details.
The Cost to Medvedev
A defaulted player forfeits the ranking points and prize money earned at the event. For Medvedev that is the 200 points and $219,295 that reaching the semi-final had guaranteed him, according to the official prize list. It comes at a bad time. He had just won the Hangzhou Open and was holding the last qualifying place on the Race to Turin, so the lost points make his place in the Nitto ATP Finals less secure. No separate fine or further sanction had been reported at the time of writing.
He plays the Shanghai Masters next as the No. 5 seed, starting on Wednesday, and opens against Martín Landaluce or Jan-Lennard Struff. Our Shanghai Masters preview has the full draw.
The Other Semi-Final
De Minaur reached the final when Hubert Hurkacz retired injured with the Australian 6-4, 3-2 ahead. It means both Beijing semi-finals ended early, and neither finalist spent long on court on Monday.
FAQ
Medvedev Disqualification FAQs
Why was Medvedev disqualified at the China Open?
He hit a ball into the crowd during his semi-final against Novak Djokovic and it struck a spectator in the front row. He was trailing 7-5, 5-3.
Did Medvedev mean to hit the spectator?
He said it was an accident: the ball was bouncing back and he tried to put it somewhere in play. Reports said the rules require a default whatever the intent.
Did Medvedev lose his ranking points and prize money?
Yes. A defaulted player forfeits the points and prize money earned at the event, which for a semi-finalist in Beijing is 200 points and $219,295.
Is Medvedev playing the Shanghai Masters?
Yes. He is the No. 5 seed and opens against Martín Landaluce or Jan-Lennard Struff.
Who won the Djokovic v Medvedev semi-final?
Djokovic, who led 7-5, 5-3 when Medvedev was disqualified. He plays Alex de Minaur in the final.