In a dramatic turn of events at the China Open in Beijing, Daniil Medvedev was defaulted from his semi‑final match after a stray shot struck a spectator in the face. The incident occurred while Medvedev was trailing Novak Djokovic 7‑5, 5‑3, just three points away from defeat.
Djokovic, who has never lost a match at the tournament, improved his flawless record there to 33‑0 and moved within one victory of securing his first title of the 2026 season. The mishap happened when Medvedev, attempting to return a ball that had ricocheted off the back wall following a Djokovic winner, inadvertently hit a backhand that flew into the stands.
The ball struck a fan near the left eye, prompting immediate medical attention. Tournament officials escorted the injured spectator out of the arena, and later confirmed that he was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
As a consequence of the default, Medvedev will forfeit all ranking points and prize money he earned up to that point in the competition. The ATP’s disciplinary rules are clear: any act that endangers a spectator or official results in an automatic disqualification, regardless of intent. Medvedev later issued a heartfelt apology, saying, "I am terribly sorry to the spectator. I am trying to get in touch with him, and if he wants to meet, I would like to apologize in person.
I hope he is okay – that is the most important thing for me right now. It was a 100 percent accident; you can see I didn’t hit the ball out of anger.
The ball was bouncing back, so I just tried to hit it somewhere so it wouldn’t go out of the court. When I saw the result, I felt horrible.
I hope I can meet him and make up for it somehow." Djokovic, who himself was defaulted at the 2020 US Open after unintentionally hitting a line judge with a ball, expressed sympathy for the fan and for Medvedev. "It is a bit of a shock, to be honest. I am sorry for the person. I hope he is not badly injured.
I also feel sorry for Daniil because I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified in a big match. I'm sure he didn’t mean to do this," the Serbian champion said. The Serbian veteran, 39, has a storied history at the China Open, having captured the title six times between 2009 and 2015.
He had not competed in Beijing for several years before returning this season. After his quarter‑final triumph over world No. 2 Alexander Zverev, Djokovic advanced to the final where he will face Alex de Minaur, who progressed after his opponent Hubert Hurkacz retired due to injury.
Djokovic reflected on the semi‑final, noting the intensity of the contest: "It was a gruelling battle that I definitely didn’t want to take to a third set. It always is a big battle with Daniil, especially when the conditions are slower and his serve is powerful. I believe in myself and felt I trained well, but a match is a different beast. My draw was tough from the start, which makes reaching the final even sweeter.
Something about Beijing keeps me going." Earlier in the year, Djokovic reached the Australian Open final, losing to Carlos Alcaraz, and has struggled with fitness and a lingering medical condition that causes fatigue and occasional vomiting, especially in hot, humid environments. The Beijing run, however, has propelled him back into the world’s top ten.
In the other semi‑final, Alex de Minaur was leading Hubert Hurkacz 6‑4, 3‑2 when Hurkacz withdrew with an injury, granting de Minaur a place in the championship match. The women’s draw also saw notable storylines. Britain’s Sonay Kartal, making a comeback after a stress fracture in her back, fell in the third round to Alina Charaeva, who had earlier upset world No.
1 Elena Rybakina. Kartal’s brief return included wins over Andrea Lazaro Garcia and Wang Xinyu before her exit.
Rybakina, the reigning US Open champion, subsequently withdrew from the upcoming Wuhan Open due to a foot injury, stating, "I’ll take some time to rest and recover." Other highlights from the tournament included Iga Swiatek rallying from a set and 5‑2 deficit to defeat Donna Vekic 4‑6, 7‑6 (7‑0), 6‑2, and Coco Gauff cruising past Xinran Sun 7‑5, 6‑1 to reach the last 16. Across the Pacific, the Japan Open featured defending champion Carlos Alcaraz battling back from a set down to beat compatriot Jaume Munar 5‑7, 6‑3, 6‑1, securing his first final appearance since the Monte‑Carlo Masters in April. Alcaraz, who missed the French Open and Wimbledon due to a wrist injury, later said, "I don’t know what happened in the first set. It seems I struggle at the start, but I always manage to turn things around and I’m very happy about it." Alcaraz’s season has been punctuated by injury setbacks, yet he remains a contender, having reached the US Open quarter‑finals before falling to Ben Shelton in a five‑set thriller.
A victory in Tokyo would give him his third title of the year—following triumphs at the Australian Open and Qatar Open—and the 27th of his career. Fans can watch the ATP Japan Open and ATP China Open finals live on Sky Sports Tennis and Sky Sports Main Event starting at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, with streaming options available on NOW without a contract.