Medvedev defaulted for hitting spectator with ball

Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the China Open for striking a spectator during his semi-final match against Novak Djokovic. Medvedev trailed Djokovic 7-5 5-3 when the ball hit the fan in the front row of the stand behind him. The fan was left holding his face and was helped out of the arena. Medvedev apologized to the fan, expressing his hope that he was okay and would allow him to apologize in person.

Djokovic, who previously faced a similar situation at the 2020 US Open, expressed sympathy for both Medvedev and the fan. Defaults occur when players violate the sport's code of conduct, which includes ball abuse, physical or verbal abuse, or racquet abuse. Medvedev, known for his emotional outbursts on court, has been working on his behavior. The match ended early, with Djokovic advancing to face Alex de Minaur in the final.