Medvedev’s disqualification in Beijing recalls other tennis outbursts

Daniil Medvedev’s disqualification at the Beijing tournament, after a ball he sent into the stands hit a spectator, adds to a string of incidents involving prominent tennis players. Medvedev was playing in the semifinals. Djokovic, Shapovalov, Fognini, Agassi, Zverev and Kyrgios have also lost control on court and been disqualified from a match; some have faced that outcome twice.

Novak Djokovic was disqualified at the 2020 US Open. In his fourth-round match against Pablo Carreño, he inadvertently struck a line judge in the throat. Nick Kyrgios, meanwhile, was disqualified from the 2019 Rome Masters 1000 after losing his temper in the third set against Casper Ruud in the second round.

Other incidents have also ended in disqualifications or expulsions. Fognini was disqualified after a chair umpire revealed that he had been insulted. At the 2009 US Open, Serena Williams was disqualified in the semifinals after threatening a line judge. The incident came with Kim Clijsters leading 6-5 in the second set: at 15-30, a foot fault called on Williams’s second serve resulted in a double fault and two match points for the Belgian. The line judge reported the words to umpire Louise Engzell: «I’m going to kill you», Williams reportedly told her.

Zverev, for his part, sharply insulted an umpire after a call on a ball he believed was out. After his doubles match, the organisers removed him from the Acapulco tournament for unsportsmanlike conduct. John McEnroe was the first player disqualified at the Australian Open. In 1996, Andre Agassi was expelled from the Indianapolis tournament for insulting a chair umpire during his match against Daniel Nestor.