Medvedev disqualified for hitting spectator with ball in Beijing

In Beijing on Monday, October 5, Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from an ATP semifinal after he angrily smashed the ball into the stands and hit a spectator in the face — apparently right in the eye. The chair umpire's decision sent Novak Djokovic, who was leading 5-3 in the second set, through to the final.

An absurd end to the match

Before the scandal, it was an ordinary tennis battle on court. The 39-year-old Serb won the first set 7-5 and was leading the second 5-3, serving for the match. At 0-15, he fired in a brilliant serve and finished the point with a winning forehand. Medvedev had no chance of reaching the ball — and in a fit of rage, the Russian swatted the rebounding ball straight into the stands with his backhand, without a thought for the consequences. The ball struck a spectator — not with great force, but apparently right in the eye.

An apology was not enough

The Russian gestured a brief apology toward the stands, but that was not enough for either chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani or, even more so, the tournament's chief referee. For injuring a fan, the latter chose the harshest possible punishment — disqualification.

A theatrical gesture and a shoulder injury

The world No. 5 had already pulled off another controversial stunt earlier in the match. At the start of the second set, between points, he theatrically clutched his stomach, mocking Djokovic's troubles — the Serb had often suffered from cramps and stomach problems this season, which even made him vomit on court. Just four games later, right after losing his serve, Medvedev himself called a medical timeout and asked for his right shoulder to be massaged. Play resumed after the break, but the match ended badly for him.

Djokovic's incredible streak

It was Djokovic who advanced to the final — six years ago he found himself in a similar situation, but in the opposite role: at the US Open, in the round of 16, he accidentally hit a line judge with the ball and was likewise disqualified. In Beijing, the Serb is now chasing his seventh career title — he has never lost here in his life, extending his winning streak to 33 remarkable matches. The men's prize fund at the tournament stands at $4,089,385. In the other semifinal, Alex de Minaur reached the final after the Pole Hurkacz retired from the match at a score of 6-4, 3-2.

Around Prague, based on reporting by sport.cz