Medvedev Defaulted After Ball Strikes Spectator as Djokovic, 39, Reaches Beijing Final
Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open semifinal when a ball he hit struck a fan, a ruling that echoed Novak Djokovic's own 2020 US Open default, which Djokovic himself raised.
Daniil Medvedev was defaulted from his China Open semifinal on Monday, 5 October, after a ball he hit struck a spectator in the stands, an incident that echoed Novak Djokovic's own 2020 US Open disqualification. Djokovic led 7-5, 5-3 and was serving for the match at the time, per the ATP Tour. The spectator was taken to hospital, per Sky Sports. The default sent Djokovic, at 39 years and 4 months, into the final as the oldest player ever to reach an ATP 500 final, per Tennis365.
What Happened
Medvedev's backhand flew into the stands during the Beijing semifinal, per the ATP Tour. The ball had bounced back off the advertising boards before he struck it, and it hit a spectator in the face, per ESPN. The umpire's ruling followed the ATP Code of Conduct, under which Medvedev was disqualified for hitting a ball that struck a spectator, per the ATP Tour. The match, an ATP 500 semifinal between two former world number ones, ended with Djokovic two games from victory and Medvedev out of the tournament.
Medvedev's Account
The third seed, per Tennis Majors, insisted there was no intent behind the shot. Per Sky Sports, he said:
It was 100% an accident. You can see that I didn't hit the ball in anger. The ball was bouncing back so I tried to just hit it anywhere so it doesn't go out.
He also expressed remorse for the spectator. Per Yahoo Sports, Medvedev said:
I feel terribly sorry for him actually and I just hope he's OK. Hopefully I can meet him and make up for it somehow.
His explanation centred on the ball's path: it had come back off the boards, and he says he was trying to keep it in play rather than lashing out. The outcome for him was the same either way: a semifinal he was trailing ended without a final point being played.
A Parallel to Djokovic's 2020 Default
The man across the net knew the situation better than anyone. At the 2020 US Open, Djokovic was defaulted from his fourth-round match against Pablo Carreno Busta after a ball he hit in frustration struck a line judge in the neck, with the score at 5-6 in the first set, per Tennis Majors. Six years later, he was on the other side of the same kind of ruling. Per the ATP Tour, Djokovic said:
I was disqualified at the 2020 US Open in similar circumstances. I am sure that Daniil didn't want to do this intentionally.
There is one clear difference between the two cases as described: Djokovic's 2020 shot was hit in frustration, per Tennis Majors, while Medvedev says his was an attempt to keep a rebounding ball in play.
Djokovic's Historic Moment
Beyond the default, Djokovic's run to the final set a record. At 39 years and 4 months, he became the oldest player to reach an ATP 500 final, per Tennis365, surpassing Roger Federer, who reached the 2019 Basel final at 38 years and 2 months. His record in Beijing is equally striking: per the ATP Tour, Djokovic is now 33-0 at the China Open, unbeaten across every appearance at the event. Medvedev's default secured him a place in the final against Alex de Minaur, per the ATP Tour.