Daniil Medvedev faced heavy criticism from tennis fans following a controversial disqualification during his China Open semifinal match against Novak Djokovic in Beijing. The two former World No. 1 players were competing for a spot in the final when the match was cut short after a ball struck by Medvedev hit a spectator seated in the front row. The sudden break was also viewed by fans as a deliberate attempt by Medvedev to break Djokovic’s rhythm. How did Novak Djokovic meet Jelena Ristic. All about the most admired couples in tennis.
The incident occurred while Medvedev was trailing 7-5, 5-3, at 15-15 in the second set. After losing his serve earlier to concede a 4-2 lead, Medvedev hit a ball that was no longer in play, which struck a fan in the eye. The injured spectator was seen complaining of pain and was subsequently escorted from the stadium. Following the incident, officials defaulted Medvedev, a decision that drew intense backlash on social media, where critics described the player’s behavior as “disgraceful” and “atrocious.” Meanwhile, was dubbed “disgraceful” and “atrocious”, his behaviour on the night.
Beyond the final incident, observers pointed to earlier actions by the world number five, including a medical timeout taken shortly after he lost his service game. Fans accused him of calling for the break to disrupt Djokovic’s momentum, with many on platforms like X labeling the timeout a tactical move. Some spectators characterized his disqualification as “divine intervention” or “karma” for his perceived attempts to mock the Serbian star’s earlier physical struggles during the match. Saying that it was “karma” for the World No, another concurred.
For Novak Djokovic, the result secured his spot in his first tournament final in nearly ten months. The 24-time major champion, who has slipped out of the top ten in the world rankings, has shown a significant return to form this week with notable victories over world number one Alexander Zverev and now Medvedev. He is set to face Alex de Minaur in the Beijing championship match, looking to claim his first title since his Australian Open defeat to Carlos Alcaraz. With the result though, Djokovic has moved through to his first final in nearly 10 months. He has, however, shown signs of revival with wins over World No.
