China Open: Daniil Medvedev defaulted from Novak Djokovic match after hitting spectator with ball
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Medvedev Disqualified for Hitting Spectator with Ball
Daniil Medvedev was defaulted from the China Open after an incident during his semi-final against Novak Djokovic.
By Amy Lofthouse
BBC Sport senior journalist
Published 5 October 2026, 15:14 BST
Updated 1 hour ago
During the match, Medvedev trailed Djokovic 7-5 5-3 when a winner from Djokovic ricocheted off the back of the court. In annoyance, Medvedev swung at a backhand, sending the ball into the air and directly hitting a spectator seated in the front row.
The fan doubled over, holding his face, and was assisted out of the arena while still holding his eye. After consulting with the umpire and an ATP official, Medvedev was defaulted from the match.
"Terribly sorry to the spectator... I just hope he's OK," Medvedev said afterward.
Djokovic, who was defaulted from the 2020 US Open for a similar incident, expressed sympathy for both the fan and Medvedev.
"It's a bit of a shock to be honest. I hope that person is not badly injured," Djokovic stated. "I am sure that Daniil did not want to do this intentionally."
What is a default in tennis?
Image source: Getty Images
Image caption: Medvedev has previously struggled with controlling his emotions on court.
Tennis defaults are rare and occur only when players violate the sport's code of conduct, including ball abuse, physical or verbal abuse, or racquet abuse. Players can receive three code violations and then be defaulted if they accumulate a fourth. However, Medvedev's action was immediate grounds for disqualification.
As a result, he will lose the points and prize money earned in Beijing, potentially derailing his return to inside the world's top five.
The 30-year-old Medvedev is known for his explosive temper, having had several high-profile meltdowns throughout his career. He had a tantrum at last year's US Open when a photographer entered the court and was fined almost £31,500 ($42,500) for unsportsmanlike conduct. In April, he destroyed a racquet after losing 6-0 6-0 at the Monte Carlo Masters, leading to another fine.
In 2025, Medvedev told BBC Sport that he was working on controlling his emotions: "When I'm on the court I hate to lose; I love to win. My first goal is to win the match... it brings a lot of adrenaline out and it brings all the energy out. Sometimes it is good energy. Sometimes it is bad."