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Daniil Medvedev issues apology after shocking China Open disqualification
2026 France's Tiafoe of the U.S. shakes hands with Russia's Daniil Medvedev after winning his round of 16 match. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters

Daniil Medvedev issues apology after shocking China Open disqualification

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Matt Wadleigh  |  Last updated Oct 5, 2026 12:59 PM ET
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Daniil Medvedev’s appearance in the semifinals of the China Open against Novak Djokovic came to an end with a disqualification.

Daniil Medvedev hit the ball into the stands out of frustration, and it hit a spectator, causing the fan to leave with a hand over his eye.

Following the incident, Medvedev issued an apology and said he was looking for the spectator.

“I am terribly sorry. I am trying to get in touch with the spectator to apologize. It was 100% an accident. I did not hit out of anger. I wanted to prevent the ball from going out,” Medvedev said.

Djokovic had a similar incident in the past. He was disqualified from the 2020 US Open for accidentally hitting a line judge in the throat, but now he was on the other side of it. He said after the match that he knows “how it feels.”

It was a stunning scene at the China Open, and Djokovic will now face off in the final on Tuesday against Alex de Minaur.

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