Key Takeaways

• Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from the China Open semifinals after striking a spectator in the face with a ball hit in frustration.
• Novak Djokovic progressed to his 7th Beijing final and secured a return to the world’s top 10 while extending his win streak in the city to 33 matches.
• The incident follows notable defaults by John McEnroe, David Nalbandian, Denis Shapovalov, Novak Djokovic, and Alexander Zverev.

Dramatic semifinal halt puts Daniil Medvedev on an infamous list

Daniil Medvedev saw his run at the China Open come to a sudden end during the semifinals. Trailing Novak Djokovic 7-5, 5-3, the 30-year-old Russian reacted angrily to a lost point by launching a tennis ball into the stands, where it struck a front-row spectator in the face.

The spectator left the stadium under his own power with visible effects around the eye. Medvedev accepted the ruling without dispute, shaking hands with Djokovic before heading off the court. The default brought an end to Medvedev’s 7-match winning run, which included a tournament title in Chengdu, and propelled 39-year-old Djokovic into his 7th China Open final while marking his 33rd consecutive match win in Beijing.

Comparison table

How past temper flare-ups reshaped tennis tournaments

Defaults on the professional tour remain rare, but Medvedev’s exit recalls several high-profile disciplinary moments in modern tennis history:

• John McEnroe (1990 Australian Open): Leading Mikael Pernfors in the 4th round, McEnroe accumulated three consecutive infractions—intimidating a lineswoman, smashing a racket, and verbal abuse—falling foul of a newly tightened three-step code of conduct.
• David Nalbandian (2012 Queen’s Club): After dropping serve in the 2nd set against Marin Cilic while leading by a set, Nalbandian kicked an advertising board into line judge Andrew McDougall’s shin, causing a bleeding injury that abruptly ended the final.
• Denis Shapovalov (2017 Davis Cup): In a decisive 5th rubber against Great Britain’s Kyle Edmund, a 17-year-old Shapovalov struck a ball in anger that hit chair umpire Arnaud Gabas in the left eye, causing an immediate default and a $7,000 fine.
• Novak Djokovic (2020 US Open): During his 4th-round encounter with Pablo Carreño Busta, top-seeded Djokovic swatted a ball behind him that hit a line judge in the throat, ending his undefeated season mark and removing him from the draw.
• Alexander Zverev (2022 Acapulco): Following a doubles defeat alongside Marcelo Melo, Zverev repeatedly struck the chair umpire’s stand with his racket, earning an immediate disqualification from the tournament alongside substantial financial penalties and probation.

ATP Beijing - Novak Djokovic's projected path

Projected draw

1st

N.Borges (51)6-3 7-6(2)

2nd

B.Yunchaokete (93)4-6 7-6(2) 6-2

QF

A.Zverev (2)4-6 6-4 6-4

SF

D.Medvedev (5)7-5 5-3 def.

F

A.Minaur (9) 3-1

Djokovic in Beijing, ranking, and results in 2026

Novak Djokovic

21 - 8win/loss

Hard

14-4

Clay

2-3

Grass

5-1

Rank
11

High
1

39 year old

WWWWLLLWW

2026 Highlights

W

Beijing

F

Australian Open

SF

Wimbledon

SEE ALL

Ranked world no.11, the Serbian owns a compiled 18-7 record in 2026. The Serbian is currently playing in Beijing where he overcame the world no.51 Nuno Borges 6-3 7-6(2), the world no.93 Bu Yunchaokete 4-6 7-6(2) 6-2, the world no.2 Alexander Zverev 4-6 6-4 6-4 and the world no.5 Daniil Medvedev 7-5 5-3 def..

Novak Djokovic will take on the world no.9 Alex De Minaur in the final on Tuesday at 7:00 pm on Court 1. Their actual head to head record is 3-1 for Djokovic.

Djokovic won 101 titles in his career: 52 on hard courts, 21 on clay courts, 20 on indoor courts and 8 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)

Beijing

Djokovic's Record

Projected
Draw