Daniil Medvedev’s China Open campaign ended in default during a semi-final match against Novak Djokovic in Beijing. With Djokovic leading 7-5 5-3, Medvedev struck a fan near the left eye after his backhand deflected off a wall. The spectator was treated and transported to hospital following the incident. Medvedev expressed remorse, characterizing the contact as accidental and noting his efforts to reach out to the affected fan.
Djokovic advanced to the final with a record of 33-0 at the China Open, recovering from a break down in the opening set to dominate the second. During the match, Djokovic saved 16 of 18 break points. The Serbian champion will face Alex de Minaur in the final, seeking his first title of 2026 and his 102nd career title overall. De Minaur reached the final when opponent Hubert Hurkacz withdrew due to injury while trailing 6-4 3-2.
Djokovic, who had not competed at the China Open prior to this campaign despite winning the title six times between 2009 and 2015, has faced fitness challenges throughout the year. The 39-year-old has played just eight tournaments this year and recently disclosed an ongoing medical condition causing fatigue and vomiting on court, particularly in hot and humid environments. Despite these obstacles, his Beijing performance has returned him to the world’s top 10 rankings. Djokovic previously reached the Australian Open final in January but lost to Carlos Alcaraz, with his most recent title coming from the Hellenic Championship roughly a year prior.
In related developments, British player Sonay Kartal’s WTA Tour comeback ended in the third round with a loss to Alina Charaeva. Meanwhile, US Open champion Elena Rybakina withdrew from the upcoming Wuhan Open due to a foot injury. In the men’s competition at the Japan Open, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the final by defeating Jaume Munar in a comeback victory, setting up a meeting with Jiri Lehecka.
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