Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev accidentally hit a spectator with a ball during his semifinal match against Novak Djokovic at the China Open in Beijing, resulting in his disqualification. The incident occurred when Medvedev struck the ball in frustration, causing it to bounce into the stands and hit the spectator in the eye. Expressing regret, Medvedev stated, “I feel terribly sorry for him actually and I just hope he’s OK.”
At the time of the incident, Djokovic was leading the match and went on to win. Medvedev clarified that hitting the ball into the stands was unintentional and was a result of trying to keep the ball in play after it bounced back towards him. Despite immediately showing remorse by waving an apology, Medvedev was disqualified following the incident.
Reflecting on the situation, Djokovic empathized with both the spectator and Medvedev, recalling his own disqualification at the 2020 U.S. Open for a similar accident involving a line judge. Medvedev, who has a history of on-court behavior issues, acknowledged the severity of the situation and expressed concern for the injured spectator.
Djokovic maintained his flawless record at the China Open and advanced to the final to face Alex de Minaur. The match against Medvedev saw Djokovic facing time violation penalties but ultimately prevailing. De Minaur secured his spot in the final after his opponent, Hubert Hurkacz, retired due to injury in the semifinals.
In another tournament, Carlos Alcaraz overcame a slow start to defeat Jaume Munar in the Japan Open semifinals. Alcaraz, returning from a wrist injury, will face Jiri Lehecka in the final. Lehecka, on a winning streak, emerged victorious against Valentin Vacherot to reach the final match.
Meanwhile, U.S. Open champion Elena Rybakina withdrew from the upcoming Wuhan Open due to a foot injury after a surprising early exit in Beijing. Alina Charaeva continued her impressive performance by progressing to the last 16 in the tournament.