Daniil Medvedev’s run at the China Open came to a stunning end Monday after the tennis star was disqualified for hitting a ball into the crowd and striking a spectator near the eye.
The dramatic incident unfolded late in Medvedev’s semifinal against Novak Djokovic in Beijing, with the Russian world No. 5 trailing 7-5, 5-3 and Djokovic closing in on victory.
Not the ending we expected 😮 @DjokerNole advances to the Beijing final after Medvedev is defaulted whilst down 5-7 3-5 #ChinaOpen https://t.co/Pae5eNrJ6W
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 5, 2026
After losing a point, Medvedev struck a loose ball that had rebounded off the back wall. The ball flew into the front row and hit a spectator around the left eye.
The fan immediately doubled over and clutched his face before stadium staff helped him leave the seating area for medical attention. The extent of his injuries was not immediately clear.
Officials quickly gathered near chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani before Medvedev was defaulted from the match.
Medvedev later said the incident was completely accidental and expressed concern for the injured spectator.
“I’m terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all,” Medvedev told reporters after the match, describing what happened as “100% an accident.”
He also indicated that he hoped to personally apologize to the fan.
The default handed Djokovic a place in Tuesday’s final against Australia’s Alex de Minaur and extended the Serbian star’s remarkable unbeaten record at the China Open to 33-0. ATP Tour
Djokovic said he was stunned by the way the semifinal ended but expressed sympathy for both the injured spectator and his opponent.
“I was shocked, to be honest,” Djokovic said. “I hope that person is not badly injured.”
The 24-time Grand Slam champion was particularly understanding of Medvedev’s predicament because Djokovic experienced a remarkably similar situation at the 2020 U.S. Open.
Djokovic was defaulted from that tournament after striking a ball in frustration that accidentally hit a line judge in the throat.
“I also feel sorry for Daniil because I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified in a big match,” Djokovic said Monday. “I’m sure that Daniil didn’t want to do this intentionally.” The Guardian
The consequences for Medvedev extend beyond simply losing the match. Under the tournament rules applied to the default, he will forfeit the ranking points and prize money he accumulated during his run to the semifinals. Reuters
The incident brings another unwanted chapter in Medvedev’s history of emotional on-court moments.
At the 2025 U.S. Open, Medvedev became furious after a photographer unexpectedly walked onto the court during match point against Benjamin Bonzi. The interruption resulted in Bonzi being awarded another first serve, prompting a lengthy argument between Medvedev and the chair umpire as the crowd loudly booed.
Medvedev ultimately lost the five-set match and repeatedly smashed his racket against his bench afterward. Los Angeles Times
Monday’s default, however, carried far greater consequences because a spectator was struck.
The bizarre ending also capped an unusual day of semifinals in Beijing. Earlier, Hubert Hurkacz was forced to retire with an adductor injury while trailing de Minaur 6-4, 3-2, meaning neither men’s semifinal reached a traditional match point conclusion. The Guardian
Djokovic will now face de Minaur for the China Open championship, while Medvedev leaves Beijing without the ranking points or prize money he would otherwise have earned from reaching the final four.
For Medvedev, an already difficult defeat instead became one of the most costly moments of his career.
For a slightly more click-heavy headline, I’d use:
Daniil Medvedev Disqualified After Striking Fan in Eye During Djokovic Showdown
That keeps the most shocking part up front without implying that Medvedev intentionally targeted the spectator.