Key Takeaways
- Daniil Medvedev was defaulted from his China Open semi-final against Novak Djokovic after accidentally hitting a fan with a ball.
- Medvedev visited the spectator in the hospital to apologize personally, with reports confirming the individual avoided serious injury.
- Despite losing prize money and ranking points, Medvedev remains in contention for the ATP Finals following Jannik Sinner’s withdrawal from the rest of 2026.
Beijing semi-final default leads to hospital visit
Daniil Medvedev experienced a dramatic exit at the China Open during his semi-final clash against Novak Djokovic. After trailing 7-5, 5-3, the Russian swatted a ball into the stands, accidentally hitting a spectator. The incident resulted in an immediate default, forfeiting his earned prize money and ranking points from the tournament just as Djokovic was three points from victory.
Following the default, Medvedev sought out the injured supporter. Journalist Lorenzo Ercoli reported that the former US Open winner visited the hospital to offer an apology in person. The spectator was found to have avoided serious harm and was recovering well, while opting not to share additional personal medical details.
Medvedev addresses the accidental incident
Speaking after the match, Medvedev explained that the shot was not hit in frustration and expressed deep concern for the attendee:
“Terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all. Iβm trying to get in touch with him, if he wants it,” Medvedev said.
The Russian highlighted that he was simply trying to keep the rebounding ball on the court surface:
“Hopefully I can apologise in person and see how he feels. I mean, 100 per cent (an) accident. You can see that I didnβt hit the ball in anger. Actually I do a lot of bad things, but usually ball abuse is not my thing.”
He further elaborated on how shocked he was by the outcome:
“The ball was bouncing back, so I tried to, like, just hit it anywhere, so it doesnβt go out from the court. When I saw the result, I mean, I felt horrible because, again, I donβt think I was ever close to such (a) situation. The most important (thing is), I hope that heβs OK because you never know with these types of situations.”
Impact on Turin hopes and tournament prize breakdown
The disqualification dealt a major blow to Medvedev’s tally for the season-ending championships, especially after missing the event in 2025. However, Jannik Sinner’s decision to shut down his 2026 campaign because of ongoing knee inflammation has kept a qualifying path open for Medvedev, who heads next to the Shanghai Masters.
The tournament awarded prize money and ranking distribution across each round prior to the final stages:
| Round | Prize Money | Points |
|---|---|---|
| Winner | $185,500 | 500 |
| Finalist | $114,500 | 325 |
| Semi-Finalist | $66,003 | 195 |
| Quarter-Finalist | $35,000 | 108 |
| Round of 16 | $18,045 | 60 |
| Round of 32 | $13,005 | 1 |
ATP Shanghai - Daniil Medvedev's projected path
Daniil Medvedev in 2026
Currently the world no.5, Daniil played his last match on the 5th of October when he surrendered to world no.11 Novak Djokovic 7-5 5-3 def. in the semifinal in Beijing (draw).
This year Daniil has managed to achieve a compiled 41-17 match record. Daniil has won 3 titles in 2026 in Brisbane, Dubai and Hangzhou.
