Key Takeaways
- Russian Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open semi-final match with Novak Djokovic.
- The incident occurred when Medvedev hit a rebounding ball into the crowd, injuring a spectator.
- Djokovic expressed shock and sympathy for Medvedev, recalling his own disqualification in 2020.
Russian tennis player Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open semi-final match with Novak Djokovic after hitting a ball into the crowd, striking a spectator in the eye.
The incident took place on Monday, with Medvedev trailing 7-5, 5-3 in the match. He had lost a point when he hit the ball coming off the wall, leading to the disqualification.
The spectator, who was sitting in the first row, clutched his left eye and appeared to be in pain as he walked out of the gallery, assisted by stadium staff.
Djokovic, the sixth seed, expressed shock and concern, saying, “I was shocked, to be honest… I hope that person is not badly injured.”
He also offered sympathy to Medvedev, recalling his own disqualification from the US Open in 2020 under similar circumstances, stating, “On the other hand, I also feel sorry for Daniil because I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified in a big match … I’m sure that Daniil didn’t want to do this intentionally.”
The disqualification of both semi-finals ended the China Open early, with Hubert Hurkacz retiring with an adductor injury earlier on Monday.
In the first semi-final, Alex de Minaur was leading 6-4, 3-2 against his Polish opponent, who had struggled with movement throughout the match, when he retired.
This incident highlights the strict rules and consequences of such actions in professional tennis, emphasizing the importance of player safety and adherence to the game’s regulations.
I was shocked, to be honest… I hope that person is not badly injured.
Novak Djokovic, Sixth seed at the China Open
On the other hand, I also feel sorry for Daniil because I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified in a big match … I’m sure that Daniil didn’t want to do this intentionally.
Novak Djokovic, Sixth seed at the China Open
