Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson agree on what should have happened to Daniil Medvedev after disqualification

Sam Querrey and Steve Johnson, former American ATP stars, expressed their opinions on the disqualification and subsequent defaulting of Daniil Medvedev from the China Open semi-final against Novak Djokovic. Both men agreed that Medvedev should not have lost his 200 points and prize money due to the incident in which he lightly hit a ball into the crowd, hitting a spectator in the face.

Querrey stated that while Medvedev should have been defaulted for hitting the spectator, the intent was not malicious and the player had his head down. He also suggested that if a spectator were to retaliate by hitting Medvedev back, it would be a fitting response. Johnson added that the intent was not malicious and that Medvedev should not lose his points and money, as it would be a significant setback for the former world number one, especially with the year-end top eight spot at stake.

The two athletes emphasized that the case should be looked at individually, given the player's intent, and not solely based on the outcome of the incident. Medvedev is currently in eighth place in the 'Live ATP Race to Turin', occupying one of the final qualification spots. Johnson highlighted the closeness of the competition this year, with Medvedev needing a strong performance in Shanghai to solidify his position in the top eight.