Daniil Medvedev faces losing roughly $220,000 and 200 ranking points after his China Open disqualification, putting his ATP Finals hopes under pressure.
Officials defaulted the Russian during Monday’s Beijing semifinal against Novak Djokovic after he struck a ball into the crowd, hitting a spectator.
Medvedev trailed 5-7, 3-5, with Djokovic serving for the match. After Djokovic won a point with a forehand volley, the ball rebounded off the advertising boards towards Medvedev.
He swung a backhand into the stands behind him. The spectator covered his face before staff escorted him away for medical attention.
Medvedev raised his left hand in apology and accepted the decision. He later denied deliberately causing the incident and said he wanted to apologise personally.
Prize money and ranking points at stake
The default costs Medvedev his tournament earnings and semifinal ranking points. ATP rules also provide for forfeiture of tournament hospitality following a default, subject to specified exceptions. The potential financial loss is the second-largest associated with a professional tennis default.
Djokovic forfeited $250,000 after hitting a line judge with a ball at the 2020 US Open. His fourth-round disqualification also ended his pursuit of the title and its $3 million winner’s cheque.
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For Medvedev, whose career earnings total approximately $52.9 million according to the report, the ranking damage could prove more consequential. He was eighth in the season’s race with 3,030 points, just 330 ahead of ninth-placed Alex de Minaur.
De Minaur reached the Beijing final after Hubert Hurkacz retired injured from their semifinal. The Australian’s progress adds pressure as Medvedev seeks a place in the eight-player season finale after a disappointing 2025.
What the ATP rulebook says
The ATP rulebook states: “Players shall not violently, dangerously or with anger hit, kick or throw a tennis ball while on the grounds of the tournament site except in the reasonable pursuit of a point during a match (including warm-up). For purposes of this rule, abuse of balls is defined as intentionally or recklessly hitting a ball out of the enclosure of the court, hitting a ball dangerously or recklessly within the court or hitting a ball with disregard of the consequences.”
The chair umpire and tournament supervisor assess the incident and determine the appropriate sanction.
Previous cases include David Nalbandian’s 2012 Queen’s Club final default after he kicked an advertising board that injured a line judge. He lost around $51,000.
Andrey Rublev and Denis Shapovalov successfully appealed financial and ranking-point penalties following separate defaults in 2024.
Why the Finals matter
Missing the ATP Finals would mean losing another substantial earning opportunity.
However, the $331,000 participation payment cited in the report comes from the tournament’s published 2025 prize schedule. It covered three round-robin appearances.
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That schedule offered an undefeated champion $5.071 million, rather than a guaranteed payout of nearly $5 million to every winner.
Those figures illustrate the stakes but do not establish the confirmed 2026 payments.
