The semi-final match on Diamond Court in Beijing ended abruptly when Djokovic was serving to close the match. At 15-15 in the ninth game of the second set, Medvedev hit a ball into the stands, striking a spectator seated in the first row. The individual collapsed, holding their left eye, and was assisted by court staff to leave the area.
This incident occurred after Djokovic scored a point with a forehand volley. The ball rebounded off an advertising board towards Medvedev, who then hit it with a backhand into the spectator area. The chair umpire and tournament supervisor came onto the court to speak with Medvedev before deciding to default him. Medvedev did not argue, approached the net to shake Djokovic's hand, and then left the court.
The abrupt conclusion brought to mind Djokovic's own incident at the US Open 2020, where he was disqualified for hitting a ball that struck a line judge's neck. On this occasion, the Serbian player expressed concern for the spectator and empathy for his opponent.
Djokovic stated that he was surprised by the event, hoping the person hit by the ball was not seriously injured, and believing Medvedev did not intend to cause harm. He also mentioned that he understood the feeling of being defaulted in an important match, recalling his experience in New York six years ago.
Before the incident, the two players had engaged in an intense contest featuring many long rallies. Djokovic consistently had to defend difficult service games, but Medvedev only converted two of 18 break points. At one point in the second set, Djokovic lost his first serve due to a time violation on a break point, yet still managed to save that point.
Medvedev broke serve to lead 3-2 in the first set, but Djokovic immediately broke back. The Serbian player then applied pressure at the end of the set, winning the 12th return game to close out the set after 79 minutes.
In the second set, Djokovic led 4-2 before Medvedev narrowed the gap to 3-4. However, Djokovic capitalized on a break point in the very next game, putting him in a position to serve for the match. When the incident occurred, Djokovic was just three points away from victory.
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Medvedev (right) speaks with Djokovic after being defaulted in the Beijing Open semi-final, on Diamond Court at the National Tennis Center, Beijing, China, on 5/10/2026. *Photo: AP* |
This result extended Djokovic's impressive record in Beijing to 33 consecutive wins across seven appearances. In his first return to the tournament since 2015, the 39-year-old player reached his seventh final at the event and moved closer to his 102nd career title.
Djokovic's opponent in the final on 6/10 will be Alex de Minaur. The Australian player also advanced from an unfinished semi-final, as Hubert Hurkacz retired while trailing 4-6, 2-3 due to an adductor muscle injury.
Vy Anh
