Getting defaulted for hitting a person with a ball struck backward. Sounds familiar? For Novak Djokovic, it certainly did. No one could have blamed the Serb for having a moment of deja vu at how his match against Daniil Medvedev ended at the China Open. The high-quality match came to a premature conclusion when the Russian was defaulted for hitting the ball up into the stands and striking a fan. Djokovic understandably sympathized with his opponent, given the fate the Serb had back at the 2020 US Open.
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“Bit in shock after that one. An incredible battle, and grateful to be heading to another China Open final. Most importantly, wishing the injured spectator a speedy recovery . Also sending thoughts to @DaniilMedwed,” said Djokovic after the match on X. “I’ve been there. See you tomorrow, Beijing. Idemooo”
Being 7-5, 5-3 up in the match, Djokovic was on his way to serving out the match. However, Medvedev was letting it go that easily as he won the first point of the game to go 15-0 up. This is when the Serb places an excellent wide serve to the Russian’s forehand, one he could not reach. However, once the ball hit the boards and bounced up, Medvedev hit it backward towards in frustration, hitting a fan in the face.
The fan in question was escorted off the court for medical attention, while Medvedev was defaulted from the match after chair umpire Mohammed Lahyani and tournament officials assessed the situation. The situation was eerily similar to Djokovic’s incident at the 2020 US Open. Back then, the Serb had also hit a ball backward, hitting a lineswoman in the throat. The person in question was in visible distress, and even though the Serb made his case to the umpire that the incident was unintentional, he was defaulted from his match against Pablo Carreno-Busta.
As per the existing rules, imposing defaults in such situations rests on the umpire’s subjective judgment. The most important consideration in such scenarios is to ascertain whether the person in question has been injured by the ball. In one of the matches at the recently concluded US Open, Belinda Bencic had hit a ball in frustration into the stands during her match against Yulia Putintseva. The ball had struck a fan, but the person in question was not injured, leading chair umpire Arnaud Gaubas to rule no default for the Swiss player.
As for Medvedev, the Russian is notorious for his on-court outbursts and often pushing the lines during his matches. Throwing rackets, kicking around cameras, and altercations with chair umpires have been almost the norm in his matches. However, on this occasion, the former World No.1 seemed to have kicked the hornet’s nest, getting a default after playing a highly competitive match.
As for Djokovic, the Serb will prepare to secure a seventh title in China on Tuesday’s final, keeping his streak intact.
Novak Djokovic Goes for a Seventh Crown in Beijing
Getting past Medvedev set Djokovic for a final against Alex de Minaur on Tuesday (October 6). Beijing still remains a fortress for the Serb, who is now 33-0 at the China Open. The former World No.1 has already won the event six times and will be keen to win a seventh title as he takes on the Australian against whom he has a 3-1 head-to-head record.
The match against Medvedev might have looked a straightforward one on the scoreline, but Djokovic had to play at his very best to keep the Russian at bay. Facing 18 break points in the match, the Serb showed his ability to be clutch, saving 16 of those break point opportunities, whereas breaking his opponent’s serve four times to have the decisive lead in the match.
Djokovic has improved his form as the tournament has gone on, after a tough start on the court and physical struggles. In his match against Bu Yunchaokete, the 24-time Major champion looked on the brink after losing the first set and receiving a medical timeout in the second set. But given his record in Beijing, it’s not surprising that the six-time champion has managed to turn it around.
While winning a seventh title in Beijing will be a huge motivation for Djokovic, there is the added factor of the ATP Finals qualification. Currently 10th on the Race Rankings, the title will help the Serb move closer towards the final qualification spot for Turin, a competition he is keen on playing this year.