Djokovic Reaches China Open Final After Medvedev Disqualified

ISLAMABAD: (Sports Desk) – Novak Djokovic advanced to the China Open final on Monday after Daniil Medvedev was disqualified during the second set when a ball struck a spectator in the stands.

The incident occurred as Djokovic was serving for the match with the Serbian leading 7-5, 5-3. A spectator sitting behind Medvedev’s side of the court was seen holding his face before being escorted from his seat.

Djokovic, ranked 11th in the world, will face ninth-ranked Alex de Minaur in Tuesday’s final in Beijing.

De Minaur reached the final after Hubert Hurkacz retired from their semi-final with an adductor injury.

Medvedev struck the ball with a backhand towards the edge of the stands after failing to return a point. The chair umpire immediately stopped play before issuing the Russian a disqualification.

Medvedev apologised to the spectator after the match, insisting that the incident was completely accidental.

“Terribly sorry to the spectator, first of all,” Medvedev told reporters, adding that it was “100 percent an accident” and that he hoped to apologise to the fan personally.

He explained that the ball was bouncing back and he tried to hit it away from the court, but it ended up striking the spectator.

The match had developed into a physically demanding contest before the controversial ending.

Djokovic battled through long rallies and intense exchanges, with the 39-year-old Serbian saving 16 break points during the match. He repeatedly raced to the net and produced several spectacular defensive plays.

“I didn’t see what happened, to be honest,” Djokovic told the crowd after the incident.

He said he was certain Medvedev had not intentionally targeted the spectator and described the incident as an accident.

Djokovic later recalled his own disqualification from the 2020 US Open, when he accidentally hit a line judge with a ball.

“I know the feeling. It’s horrible… but it happens,” Djokovic said.

Despite being only three points away from victory when Medvedev was disqualified, Djokovic acknowledged that the match would not necessarily have ended easily.

He described the encounter as extremely exhausting and said he had been fortunate to come through the battle.

Swiatek Stages Comeback

Earlier in the women’s draw, former world number one Iga Swiatek fought back from a set down to reach the last 16.

The Polish fourth seed overcame Croatia’s Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6 (7/0), 6-2 after dominating the deciding tie-break of the second set.

“I was just angry, wanted to change something, because clearly it wasn’t working,” Swiatek said on court.

She will next face American teenager Iva Jovic for a place in the quarter-finals.

China’s Zheng Qinwen also survived another three-set battle, defeating Czech player Marie Bouzkova 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-5.

Zheng, ranked 54th in the world, endured another demanding contest and voiced frustration over movement outside the court during the match.

However, she produced some of her best tennis late in the third set, winning the final two games before Bouzkova sent a shot long.

“I gave everything,” Zheng told the home crowd.

The 23-year-old said she had felt considerable pressure during the match after already spending more than five hours on court in her opening two rounds.

Zheng will face 118th-ranked Alina Charaeva in the last 16. Charaeva had eliminated top seed Elena Rybakina in the second round.

Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova also progressed to the last 16, where she will face Ekaterina Alexandrova.