The Incident
It’s giving major drama in Beijing. Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from his China Open semi-final match against Novak Djokovic this Monday after a moment of frustration went south. Trailing 7-5, 5-3, the Russian world No. 5 lost a point and swatted a ball that had ricocheted off the back wall. The ball flew into the crowd, striking a spectator in the eye. Staff helped the fan leave the gallery while he clutched his face in pain.
Medvedev, the 2021 US Open champ, expressed genuine remorse, saying he was “terribly sorry” and calling the situation a 100% accident. He told reporters he just wanted the ball off the court but feels “horrible” about the result.
A History of Heat
Real talk: Medvedev’s temper has been trending for a while. He’s had several iconic meltdowns, including a $42,500 fine at the 2025 US Open for arguing with an umpire and a record-breaking £54,000 fine at the 2025 Australian Open for smashing a net camera.
Novak Djokovic, who was famously DQ’d from the US Open back in 2020 for a similar incident, weighed in on the situation. “I was shocked. I hope that person is not badly injured,” Djokovic said. He noted that he feels for Daniil because he knows the vibe of being disqualified in a huge match is absolutely the worst.
Meanwhile in Tokyo
While Beijing was chaos, Carlos Alcaraz is out here proving why he’s main character material. He survived an early struggle against Jaume Munar at the Japan Open, rallying back from a rough first set to win 5-7, 6-3, 6-1. After dropping 16 points in a row to lose that opener, Alcaraz locked in and now heads to Tuesday’s final against Jiri Lehecka.
Why it matters
This DQ highlights the strict rules regarding crowd safety in pro tennis and adds another chapter to Medvedev’s reputation for emotional volatility on the court, even when the damage is accidental.
