Daniil Medvedev was defaulted for hitting a spectator with a ball as Novak Djokovic took his impeccable record at the China Open to 33-0 and moved one win away from a first title of 2026. Medvedev accidentally struck the fan while trailing 7-5 5-3 and three points from defeat in Monday's punishing semi-final in Beijing, during which Djokovic saved 16 of the 18 break points he faced. Medvedev will now lose all points and prize money eared from the event.
Djokovic, 39, won the China Open six times in seven years between 2009 and 2015 but had not returned prior to this campaign. The Serb, who secured a come-from-behind quarter-final victory over world No 2 Alexander Zverev on Sunday, will meet Alex De Minaur in Tuesday's final as he looks to clinch a 102nd career title and first since the Hellenic Championship little under a year ago. Speaking on court afterwards, Djokovic, defaulted at the 2020 US Open for hitting a line judge with a ball, said: "It is a bit of a shock, to be honest.
I am sorry for the person. "I didn't see what happened and I hope the person is not badly injured. I also feel sorry for Daniil as I know exactly how it feels to be disqualified in a big match.
"I'm sure he didn't want to do this intentionally." Djokovic reached the Australian Open final in January, losing to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets, but has struggled for fitness and form since and dropped out of the world's top 10, although this run in Beijing has returned him to that elite level. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, who has played just eight tournaments this year, revealed an ongoing medical condition that has led to fatigue and vomiting on court, with the issue exacerbated in hot and humid conditions. Djokovic added: "It was a gruelling battle that I definitely didn't want to take to a third set.
It was looking like that. It is always a big battle with Daniil, so hard to play him when he is feeling the ball in slower conditions with his big serve. "I always believe in myself and felt I played really well in training bit obviously it is different in an official match.
"My draw wasn't favourable, very tough matches from the beginning, but it makes the run the final sweeter. Something about Beijing keeps me going." In the women's event, Britain's Sonay Kartal saw her WTA Tour comeback end in the third round with a 6-4 6-1 loss to Alina Charaeva - the player who dumped out world No 1 Elena Rybakina at the weekend. The Beijing event was Kartal's first WTA tournament since March after a stress fracture of the back and she picked up wins over Andrea Lazaro Garcia and Wang Xinyu before falling to Armenia's Charaeva.
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