Daniil Medvedev was defaulted from his China Open semifinal against Novak Djokovic on Monday after a ball he swatted away in frustration flew into the front row and struck a spectator near his left eye.

Djokovic was serving for the match at 7-5, 5-3 when his forehand volley winner bounced off the advertising boards back toward Medvedev. The Russian flicked a backhand into the stands. The spectator was helped out of the arena with a hand pressed over his eye.

Medvedev did not argue. The chair umpire and tournament supervisor spoke with him briefly on court. He shook hands with Djokovic at the net and left.

Djokovic struck a sympathetic note afterwards.

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“I honestly didn’t see what happened. I hope that person is not badly injured. On the other hand, I also feel sorry for Daniil, because I know exactly how he feels to be disqualified in a big match.”

He was referring to his own 2020 US Open default, when he hit a line judge with a ball he had struck away in frustration.

Coins, a ‘small cat’ and a smashed racket

Medvedev’s record of on-court incidents stretches back nearly a decade. The 30-year-old, the 2021 US Open champion and a former ATP No. 1, has repeatedly drawn fines and headlines:

• July 2017, Wimbledon: After a five-set first-round loss to world No. 124 Ruben Bemelmans, Medvedev pulled coins from his wallet and tossed them toward umpire Mariana Alves’s chair. “In the heat of the moment, I did a bad thing. I apologise for this,” he said afterwards.
• January 2022, Australian Open semifinal: During his win over Stefanos Tsitsipas, Medvedev screamed at chair umpire Jaume Campistol for not sanctioning what he said was coaching from Tsitsipas’s father in the box. “If you don’t [give him a warning], you are … a small cat,” he said. The ATP fined him $12,000 for a visible obscenity and unsportsmanlike conduct.
• August 2025, US Open first round: A photographer walked onto the court on match point, and chair umpire Greg Allensworth gave his opponent Benjamin Bonzi a first serve. Medvedev delayed play for more than six minutes while berating the umpire. “He wants to go home, guys. He doesn’t like to be here. He gets paid by the match, not by the hour,” he said. He lost the match 6-3, 7-5, 6-7(5), 0-6, 6-4 and was fined $42,500.
• April 2026, Monte Carlo Masters: Medvedev smashed his racket seven times early in the second set of a 6-0, 6-0 loss to Matteo Berrettini and was fined $7,000. The match lasted 49 minutes.

One Grand Slam, no sequel

Medvedev’s 2021 US Open final was a straight-sets 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 upset of Djokovic that denied the Serb the calendar-year Grand Slam.

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He has not added a second major since.

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