Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open semi-final match against Novak Djokovic on Monday after a ball he hit in frustration struck a spectator in the eye. The incident occurred while the Russian world No 5 was trailing 7-5, 5-3, shortly after he lost a point. The spectator, who was sitting in the front row, required assistance from stadium staff as he left the gallery clutching his injured eye.
Addressing the incident, Medvedev stated he was “terribly sorry to the spectator” and emphasized that the action was “100% an accident.” He explained, “The ball was bouncing back so I tried to just hit it anywhere so it doesn’t go out from the court. When I saw the result I felt horrible.” He added that he wished to apologize to the affected individual in person.
This disqualification adds to a history of temper-related incidents for the 2021 US Open champion. Earlier this year at the Monte Carlo Open, he destroyed his racket during a loss to Matteo Berrettini. During the 2025 US Open, he incurred a $42,500 fine for a heated outburst involving a photographer and the umpire, and he faced a £54,000 fine at the 2025 Australian Open for damaging a net camera. Three times a losing finalist at the Australian Open, born of a series of incidents where Medvedev’s temper has failed, the incident added further to a fiery reputation for the 2021 US Open champion. In May, at the Monte Carlo Open, he smashed his racket several times and placed the remnants in a courtside dustbin during his 6-0, 6-0 loss to Matteo Berrettini. In my head, I want to do worse and I cannot because there are rules, because we’re on a tennis court,” he said, play was held up for more than six minutes as Medvedev riled up the crowd and insulted the umpire. “What I say and what I do. He was fined £54,000, one of biggest sums in grand slam history after breaking a net camera by repeatedly smashing it with his racket, at the 2025 Australian Open. In app, tap the Profile settings button at the top right, then select Notifications. Make sure you’re on the most recent version, if you already have app. Download it from the iOS App Store on iPhone or the Google Play store on Android by searching for ”, if you don’t have app.
Novak Djokovic, who was famously disqualified from the 2020 US Open under comparable circumstances, expressed his sympathy. “I was shocked. I hope that person is not badly injured,” Djokovic said. “On the other hand, I also feel sorry for Daniil because I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified in a big match. I’m sure Daniil didn’t want to do this intentionally.”
The other semi-final in Beijing also ended prematurely. Australia’s Alex de Minaur advanced to the final after Hubert Hurkacz retired from their match due to an adductor injury; De Minaur had been leading 6-4, 3-2 at the time of the retirement.
Meanwhile, at the Japan Open, Carlos Alcaraz overcame a difficult start to defeat Jaume Munar 5-7, 6-3, 6-1, securing a spot in the final against Jiri Lehecka. Alcaraz, who dropped 16 consecutive points during a lapse in the first set, admitted he was unsure why he struggled initially. “I started the match well, got a break and was serving for the set,” he noted. “It seems like I’m struggling every first set. But the way I come back every time, I’m really happy about it.” Elsewhere, the defending champion, Carlos Alcaraz, overcame early wobbles on his serve to outclass fellow Spaniard Jaume Munar 5-7, 6-3, 6-1 and reach the Japan Open final, taking a step towards his first singles title after his comeback from a wrist injury.
