Medvedev is disqualified for hitting a spectator with a ball!

To see is to believe. After an authentic thriller between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev that recalled the past when they were the two best in the world, after another act of escapism from the Serbian, Medvedev lost his temper and the frustration of losing an important point caused him to launch a ball into the stands, which ended up hitting a spectator in the eye.

Mohamed Lahyani had no choice but to apply the rules and disqualify Medvedev, who accepted the punishment and sent the Serbian to his seventh final at the ATP in Beijing (7-5, 5-3), maintaining his undefeated record, extending his winning streak to 33 consecutive matches in the Chinese tournament, and setting up a clash with Alex de Miñaur for the title. However, the end of the match left a bitter taste after such a great duel between the two.

Medvedev hit a spectator with a ball and was disqualified from his match with Djokovic

But before this unexpected ending, a very evenly matched and contested match was anticipated, and it turned out that way. Unlike the duel against Zverev, Djokovic was plugged in from the start, fully engaged and highly competitive. It seemed that the health issues he had confessed to having days earlier had disappeared. Meanwhile, Medvedev did not shy away from facing the 24-time Grand Slam champion.

The Russian was the first to threaten, with three break points in the first set, and he opened the scoring with a break in the fifth game, after Djokovic had saved four more break points. But the Belgrade native remained unfazed, knowing that if he continued to play at a high level, he would have his opportunity. And so it was. In the next game, after an eternal struggle, the Balkan player recovered the break and also regained dominance.

Both players showed confidence and effectiveness with their serves, but they did not shy away from engaging in long cross-court exchanges from the baseline. The intensity was extremely high, but in this area, Djokovic applied pressure like no one else, and while both defended their serves, the balance of the first set gradually tipped in his favor.

Not the ending we expected 😮 @DjokerNole advances to the Beijing final after Medvedev is defaulted whilst down 5-7 3-5 #ChinaOpen https://t.co/Pae5eNrJ6W

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) October 5, 2026

However, Medvedev was not left behind and enjoyed a break point with 4-4, which was half a set. However, the Serbian defended himself tooth and nail, resisted, and as he did in his duel with Zverev, he took advantage of the Russian's frustration to seal the set on return (7-5), demonstrating how to play tennis at 39 years old.

But the intensity, far from decreasing, increased, and in the third game of the second set, both raised their level to such an extent that it reminded us of their great battles from a few years ago when both were at the peak of their careers. Medvedev had six break points, and Djokovic defended them all with all his might.

It would not be the only game in which the Moscovite would have opportunities because in his next chance on return he had two more attempts that he could not capitalize on due to the wall that the Serbian had installed at the baseline. The patterns from the first set were repeating themselves, and Djokovic knew it. After defending himself with everything, he went on the attack to deliver a blow that seemed definitive: 4-2 and serve.

The Belgrade native was only two games away from his seventh final in Tokyo, but then Medvedev called for the physio due to a problem with his right shoulder. This decision ended up cooling Djokovic, who lost his serve after saving a dozen break points. The Russian was back in the game and had no intention of letting go.

Medvedev hit a ball into the stands and struck a spectator in the eye, who had to be taken to the infirmary. IMMEDIATE DISQUALIFICATION. Tremendous ending to the match. https://t.co/6mLcSD3LKV

— José Morón (@jmgmoron) October 5, 2026

However, after so much effort to achieve that coveted break, he strung together three consecutive unforced errors that he had not made throughout the set and lost his serve again. And this time, after so much suffering, the intensity of the match, and not allowing breaks for Medvedev, Novak Djokovic performed another act of escapism to send a clear message: he still has plenty of tennis left. He was going to close out the match with his serve until something unbelievable happened.

The Serbian made it 15-15 in the decisive game, and Medvedev, out of frustration for not capitalizing on all his chances, smashed a ball into the stands and unfortunately hit a spectator in the eye sitting in the front row. The Russian kept apologizing, but even he was aware that this was going to be the end of his match.

He did not protest Mohamed Lahyani’s decision, shook Djokovic’s hand, and went to the locker room. Thus ended one of the best matches of the year. But this outcome cannot take away any merit from the Serbian, who made it into his seventh final in Beijing, where he awaits Alex de Miñaur, leaving the tennis world wondering Where has this Novak Djokovic been all this time?

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, ¡Medvedev es descalificado por pegarle un pelotazo a un espectador!