Daniil Medvedev was defaulted from the China Open after striking a spectator in the face with a ball during his semi-final against Novak Djokovic. The incident occurred as Medvedev trailed Djokovic 7-5, 5-3 in a tense moment of the match.
After Djokovic hit a winner for 15-15, the ball rebounded off the back of the court. Frustrated, Medvedev swiped at a backhand, sending the ball into the air where it struck a fan sitting in the front row behind him. The spectator immediately doubled over, clutching his face and eye as he was helped out of the arena.
Umpire Mohamed Lahyani and an ATP official conferred before Medvedev was defaulted. The Russian then approached the net to shake hands with Djokovic, ending the match prematurely. Djokovic, who was disqualified from the 2020 US Open under similar circumstances, expressed sympathy for both the injured fan and Medvedev after the incident.
"It's a bit of a shock to be honest. I hope that person is not badly injured," Djokovic said. "I also feel sorry for Daniil. I know exactly how he feels to be disqualified in a big match. I am sure that Daniil did not want to do this intentionally."
The default ended Medvedev’s run in the tournament and handed Djokovic a place in the final. The incident will be remembered as a rare and unfortunate episode in a high-stakes match between two of the sport’s top players.
According to Yahoo Sports.