Djokovic-De Minaur: Beijing's 34-0 on the line in the China Open final — Medvedev defaulted and the racquets

The China Open in Beijing (ATP 500) closes TODAY with a final few could have scripted: Novak Djokovic (6) against Alex de Minaur (5). Both of Monday's semi-finals ended early — one by default, one by injury — and the tournament reaches its last day with everything on the line: the Serb's historic 33-0 in the Chinese capital, a seventh Beijing crown and a ticket in the race to the ATP Finals in Turin.

Medvedev defaulted: "It was a shock"

The most anticipated match of Monday broke down in the cruellest way. With Djokovic leading 7-5, 5-3 — three points from victory — a ball rebounded from the back of the court towards Medvedev, who instinctively hit it into the stands. The ball struck a spectator in the face, who had to leave his seat assisted by tournament staff.

The Russian was defaulted and Djokovic advanced to the final after two hours and 29 minutes of battle: he had come from a break down in the first set and saved multiple break points. "I was three points from winning. It was an exhausting battle... I don't know how many break points I saved, it was crazy," the Serb said. He was shaken by how it ended: "It was a shock, to be honest. I'm sorry for the person, I hope it's nothing serious. I also feel sorry for Daniil, because I know how it feels to be defaulted in a big match." Djokovic himself was defaulted at the 2020 US Open under similar circumstances.

Medvedev, who had arrived on a run after winning the Hangzhou title, later apologised: "I feel terribly sorry. The ball was bouncing back and I just tried to hit it anywhere so it wouldn't leave the court. When I saw the result, I felt horrible."

With the win, Djokovic is now 33 for 33 in Beijing — nobody has ever beaten him there — and will play his 146th tour-level final, one win away from his 102nd title and his seventh in Beijing, a tournament he had not played since 2015.

De Minaur reaches his first Beijing final

The second semi-final also ran short of its script, though without controversy: Hurkacz retired with an adductor injury while De Minaur led 6-4, 3-2 (40-0). The Pole, who had already felt discomfort in his quarter-final against Khachanov, could barely move in the second set. "I felt my adductor yesterday and I couldn't recover completely for today. I was struggling from the start," he explained.

The Australian, world No. 9 and his country's top-ranked player, broke Hurkacz's serve twice to lead 4-0 and withstood the comeback to take the opening set. It will be his first China Open final — and he is chasing his second title of the season, after Rotterdam in February.

What's on the line

The final starts not before 7 p.m. local time (1 p.m. CEST) and is followed by the doubles final. The numbers:

• Djokovic: a seventh Beijing title, his first of 2026 and the 102nd of his career. Win, and he signs off a flawless 34-0 at the event. He leads the head-to-head 3-1 — their last meeting, at Wimbledon 2025, went his way — and this will be the first time they meet in a final.
• De Minaur: the chance to become the first player ever to beat Djokovic in Beijing, plus a second trophy of the year.

Also on the line: the PIF ATP Live Race to Turin. The winner leaves Beijing ninth — Djokovic climbs from 10th with a win — while eighth-placed Medvedev loses the 200 points he had earned before his default. Two Masters 1000 events remain (Shanghai and Paris) and Sinner's uncertain availability keeps the race open.

The racquets of the final

• Novak Djokovic — Head Speed MP 2026from 195,49 €: 100 square inches, 315 grams, 16x19 pattern and just 60 RA stiffness. The recipe for his depth-and-direction tennis, unbeaten in Beijing since 2009.
• Alex de Minaur — Wilson Ultra Pro 99: the Australian plays a Wilson control frame that doesn't have a catalog page yet.
• Daniil Medvedev — Tecnifibre TFight 305Sfrom 209,99 €: 98 square inches, 320 grams and a dense 18x19 pattern — surgical control and a flat rhythm.
• Hubert Hurkacz — Yonex VCORE 98 (8th gen)from 236,95 €: the eighth generation of Yonex's spin benchmark: 98 square inches, 321 grams and a 16x19 with a redesigned aero beam.
• And a nod to the man Djokovic beat in the quarters: Alexander Zverev swung his Head Gravity Tour Zverev 2026from 228,95 €, the edition HEAD launched after his Roland Garros win.