Novak Djokovic has reached another China Open final after Daniil Medvedev was disqualified from their semi-final following an incident in which he accidentally struck a spectator with the ball during the semi finals at the Capital Group Diamond at the National Tennis Center in Beijing, China today.
Djokovic was leading 7-5, 5-3 and was just three points away from victory when Medvedev hit a ball into the stands after it rebounded off a wall. The ball struck a spectator around the left eye, with officials subsequently assisting the fan out of the arena.
Tournament organisers later confirmed that the spectator was taken to hospital for further assessment.
The incident brought an abrupt end to a physically demanding contest in which Djokovic repeatedly found himself under pressure. The Serbian saved 16 of the 18 break points he faced during the match before Medvedev’s default handed him a place in the final.
As a result of the default, Medvedev will forfeit the ranking points and prize money he earned at the tournament.
For Djokovic, the victory extends his remarkable record at the Beijing event to 33 wins without a defeat. The 39-year-old previously dominated the China Open, winning the title six times in seven appearances between 2009 and 2015 before returning to the tournament this year.
Djokovic had already produced a major comeback against world No. 2 Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals on Sunday. He will now face Alex de Minaur in Tuesday’s final, with the Serbian aiming to capture the 102nd singles title of his career.
A victory would also give Djokovic his first championship since winning the Hellenic Championship nearly a year ago.
