Djokovic was leading 7-5, 5-3 when Medvedev struck a ball into the stands after losing a point. The ball, which had rebounded from the back wall, hit a spectator in the front row in the eye, Anadolu Agency reported.
The spectator was helped from the stands before Medvedev was defaulted, sending Djokovic into the final.
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Djokovic said he was “shocked” by the decision and expressed sympathy for both the injured spectator and Medvedev.
“I also feel sorry for Daniil. I know exactly how he feels to be disqualified in a big match,” Djokovic said.
The 39-year-old Serbian was himself defaulted from the 2020 US Open after accidentally hitting a line judge with a ball.
The result extended Djokovic’s perfect China Open record to 33-0 and secured his place in a seventh Beijing final.
Djokovic will face Alex de Minaur in Tuesday’s final after the Australian advanced when Hubert Hurkacz retired with an adductor injury while trailing 6-4, 3-2.
In the women’s draw, eighth-seeded Iga Swiatek staged a dramatic comeback to defeat Croatia’s Donna Vekic 4-6, 7-6 (7-0), 6-2 and reach the last 16.
Vekic, the 30th seed, won the opening set and moved 5-2 ahead in the second, serving twice for the match before Swiatek fought back.
The Polish player broke twice to level the set at 5-5 before dominating the tiebreak without dropping a point to force a deciding set.
Swiatek then took control of the third set to complete the comeback after two hours and 40 minutes.
“I was just angry, wanted to change something, because clearly it wasn’t working,” Swiatek said after the match.
The 2023 China Open champion will next face American Iva Jovic for a place in the quarterfinals.
