Watch: Novak Djokovic handed warning after he sends racquet flying into crowd during Astana SF clash against Daniil Medvedev
Novak Djokovic's heart must have been in his mouth during a particularly unexpected moment during his semifinal clash against Daniil Medvedev at the 2022 Astana Open, bringing back memories of the 2020 US Open.
While a ball he accidentally hit at Flushing Meadows back then was enough to get the Serb disqualified from the tournament, it was his racquet that went flying this time around. Thankfully, there was no disqualification in store for the 21-time Grand Slam champion this week, as he got away with just a warning from the chair umpire.
Trying to chase down a lob from the Russian in the second set, the racquet slipped out of Djokovic's hand rather comically and flew into the stands, which was soon fetched back by a loyal young fan.
You just can't get the ball past @DaniilMedwed 🤯
#AstanaOpen https://t.co/TKTIJqH1ew
To his credit, the former World No. 1 immediately put up his hands in apology, also letting the fans know that it was completely accidental. Despite that, the match referee decided to give him a warning, a move that did not go down well with the 35-year-old.
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"Ridiculous. You're telling me it's not a warning, but then you give me a warning."
The first set went in favor of Medvedev, who wrapped up the set 6-4 with a break of serve and put an end to a streak of 14 consecutive sets the 21-time Grand Slam champion had won in singles competitions.
The second set, however, was more of a close contest, going all the way to the tiebreaker. As good as Medvedev was, the World No. 7 held his nerves to take the set 7-6(6) and force a deciding set. With fans expecting a high-octane final set, Daniil Medvedev shocked everyone by pulling out of the match, handing his opponent the win in dramatic fashion.
Novak Djokovic takes on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of the Astana Open
Following his victory over Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic will take on Stefanos Tsitsipas in the final of the 2022 Astana Open. The Greek, seeded third in the tournament, scored a 4-6, 6-4, 6-3 comeback win in the semifinals against fifth seed Andrey Rublev to set up a meeting with the former World No. 1.
The duo have met nine times on tour previously, with the 21-time Grand Slam champion leading the head-to-head 7-2. In fact, all six of their most recent meetings have gone the way of the Serb, including their meeting in the final of the Italian Open earlier this year.
A victory on Sunday would give the 35-year-old his third consecutive title of the season, following title runs at Wimbledon and Tel Aviv. Tsitsipas, meanwhile, has won two titles in 2022 so far and is looking for his third.