In a dramatic turn of events at the China Open semi‑final in Beijing, Daniil Medvedev was defaulted from the match after an errant shot struck a fan in the stands. The incident occurred while Novak Djokovic was closing in on an unbeaten run at the tournament, improving his record there to 33 wins and no losses, and moving within one victory of securing his first title of the 2026 season. Medvedev, who was trailing 7-5, 5-3 and just three points away from defeat, unintentionally hit a backhand that ricocheted off the side wall and flew into the crowd, making contact with a spectator near the left eye. The ball, which had been a routine return after a Djokovic winner, bounced back toward the net and Medvedev attempted to redirect it away from the court.
In doing so, the ball struck the fan, prompting the umpire to issue a default and end the match immediately. As a result of the disqualification, Medvedev will forfeit all ranking points and prize money earned at the event.
The injured spectator was assisted out of the arena and later taken to a nearby hospital for medical evaluation, according to tournament officials. The incident reminded many of past on‑court controversies involving top players.
Djokovic himself was defaulted at the 2020 US Open after a ball he hit inadvertently struck a line judge. In response to Medvedev's mishap, Djokovic expressed sympathy, saying, "It is a bit of a shock, to be honest. I am sorry for the person.
I hope the person is not badly injured. I also feel sorry for Daniil as I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified in a big match.
I'm sure he didn't want to do this intentionally." Medvedev issued an apology immediately after the incident. "Terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all I'm trying to get in touch with him, if he wants it. Hopefully I can apologise in person.
I just hope he's OK. That's the most important. I just really care about him right now," he said.
He emphasized that the strike was a 100 percent accident, noting, "You can see I didn't hit the ball in anger. I do a lot of bad things but usually ball abuse is not my thing. 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.
Hopefully I can meet him and make up for it somehow." Djokovic, now 39, has a storied history at the China Open, having claimed six titles between 2009 and 2015. He had not competed there for several years before his recent return.
After surviving a grueling semi‑final against world No. 2 Alexander Zverev, Djokovic will face Alex de Minaur in the final, aiming for his 102nd career title and his first since the Hellenic Championship less than a year ago.
In his post‑match comments, Djokovic reflected on the intensity of the semi‑final, stating, "It was a gruelling battle that I definitely didn't want to take to a third set. It is always a big battle with Daniil, so hard to play him when he is feeling the ball in slower conditions with his big serve. I always believe in myself and felt I played really well in training but obviously it is different in an official match.
My draw wasn't favourable, very tough matches from the beginning, but it makes the run to the final sweeter. Something about Beijing keeps me going." The Serbian champion, who reached the Australian Open final earlier this year before losing to Carlos Alcaraz, has struggled with fitness and form throughout 2026, even dropping out of the top ten for a period. He recently disclosed a lingering medical condition that causes fatigue and vomiting, especially in hot, humid environments, which has limited his tournament schedule to just eight events so far. In the other semi‑final, de Minaur advanced after his opponent Hubert Hurkacz retired due to injury while trailing 6-4, 3-2.
De Minaur will now look to add another trophy to his collection. The women's draw also saw notable storylines.
British player Sonay Kartal, making a comeback after a stress fracture in her back, was eliminated in the third round by 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 defeat. Rybakina, the reigning US Open champion, subsequently withdrew from the upcoming Wuhan Open because of a foot injury, announcing she needed time to rest and recover.
Meanwhile, Iga Swiatek demonstrated resilience by overturning a 5-2 deficit in the second set to defeat Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6 (7-0), 6-2 and progress to the fourth round. Coco Gauff also moved forward, dispatching Xinran Sun 7-5, 6-1 to reach the last 16. On the ATP side, the Japan Open featured a thrilling final showdown. Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz rallied 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 described his first‑set struggles, saying, "I don't know what happened in the first set. It seems that I'm struggling in every first set, but I've come back every time and I'm really happy about it." Alcaraz's season has been hampered by a wrist injury that forced him to miss his French Open title defence and Wimbledon. He returned for the US Open, reaching the quarter‑finals before falling in five sets to American Ben Shelton. A victory in Tokyo would give him a third title of the year—after wins in Australia and Qatar—and mark his 27th career triumph.
The ATP Japan Open and ATP China Open finals will be broadcast 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.