With the Serb serving for a spot in the final and leading 7-5, 5-3, the Russian, in apparent frustration, struck the rebounding ball into the stands, where it hit a spectator sitting directly behind him. Daniil Medvedev ‘s China Open campaign ended in a way rarely seen in tennis. He waved his hand in apology, but there was little argument he could make after he was defaulted following a discussion with the chair umpire and a tournament official. Djokovic went through to the final.
Ironically, it came against Novak Djokovic , who had suffered a similar fate six years earlier at the US Open.
However, the officials judged the action to be dangerous after the spectator was seen covering his face, where the ball had hit him, and was then escorted from the stands for medical attention.
Medvedev apologised later during his post-match media interaction, calling it an “accident” and explaining that he was only trying to get rid of the ball that had bounced back towards him.
The Russian will also be subject to a fine of up to $350 (Section 8.04.L.4.a.ii). Medvedev, meanwhile, became the first player in the history of the China Open, which began in 1993, to be defaulted. He was also the first player on the ATP Tour since Denis Shapovalov in Washington in 2024 to be defaulted.
Usually, code violations climb a ladder: warning, point penalty and game penalty. That is what happened in Beijing. There is more to it. Djokovic’s case comes the closest, and remains the more notable example in this category, which is why he sympathised with Medvedev after the match. “I also feel sorry for Daniil.
But Section 8.04.L.4.m.i clearly states that the Supervisor “may default a player” for “a single violation of the Code (immediate default)”. And if the Senior Vice President, Rules & Competition, determines that the “default was particularly injurious to the success of the tournament or detrimental to the integrity of the sport”, he may consider additional penalties, including fines and/or suspensions (Section 8.04.L.4.m.iv.cc). I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified,” he said.
