Daniil Medvedev stunned Carlos Alcaraz 6-3, 7-6(3) at the BNP Paribas Open, snapping the Spaniard’s 16-match winning streak. Yet the semifinal drama at Indian Wells carried an extra jolt when Medvedev narrowly dodged a blistering smash from Alcaraz. 

At one point, Medvedev sent back a high, floating return that drifted close to the net. It looked like a routine chance for Alcaraz to finish the rally. The Spaniard quickly rushed forward. With incredible speed, he reached the ball and smashed it fiercely toward Medvedev’s side of the court.

The shot came flying straight toward Medvedev at close range. The Russian instantly raised his hands toward his head to protect himself. The crowd gasped at the moment. For a split second, it looked like the ball might strike Medvedev directly.

Fortunately, he avoided the hit, and the rally ended. The tense exchange only added to the drama of the semifinal battle.

Despite that moment, Medvedev stayed calm and focused throughout the match. He controlled the contest with aggressive shotmaking and precise court positioning. The Russian also displayed the level of tennis that once helped him reach the No. 1 ranking. His composure proved crucial, especially during the tight second set.

Alcaraz pushed hard and created chances to extend the match. At 4-5 in the second set, the Spaniard earned two set points and looked ready to force a decider. However, Medvedev responded with strong serving and forced errors from Alcaraz on both points. He saved the set points and kept control of the match.

Medvedev won four of the five break points he faced and converted both of his own chances. He also captured 74%t of his second-serve points, winning 23 of 31.

His calmness under pressure made the difference. Medvedev eventually sealed the straight-sets victory in one hour and 37 minutes, gaining revenge after losing the Indian Wells finals to Alcaraz in both 2023 and 2024.

After the match, the Russian reflected on the difficult second set. “I was hanging in, in the second set, as I could,” Medvedev said. “But [I am] playing great tennis, super happy to beat someone as strong as him.”

Moments where players narrowly avoid getting hit by a ball have happened before in tennis. Such incidents often create controversy if the situation becomes dangerous.

A similar moment occurred earlier this year at the AO involving Novak Djokovic. During his third-round match against Botic van de Zandschulp, the Serbian star smashed a ball away in frustration that flew dangerously close to a ball girl near the net.

Incidents like these have sparked criticism in the past. In extreme cases, players have even faced disqualification when a ball or racket strikes someone on court.

Alexander Donski and Siddhant Banthia disqualified after ball smashed into opponent’s face

Last year, Alexander Donski and his doubles partner Siddhant Banthia were disqualified from an ATP Challenger Tour event in Italy after a shocking on-court incident. The controversy unfolded during a tense doubles match. Donski and Banthia were playing against Simone Agostini and Gianluca Cadenasso when the situation suddenly escalated.

The incident happened right after a missed break point. Donski had been beaten at the net by Agostini during the rally. Frustration immediately took over. In a sudden reaction, the Bulgarian smashed the ball away.

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Unfortunately, the ball struck Agostini directly in the face. The hit was accidental but extremely painful for the Italian player. Agostini instantly grabbed his face and dropped to his knees on the court. Medical staff quickly rushed in to check on him as the crowd watched in concern.

Donski immediately showed remorse for the incident. It was clear that he had hit the ball in frustration and not with the intention of targeting his opponent. However, tennis rules are strict in such situations. If a player hits a ball that injures or strikes someone on court, disqualification can be enforced.

At that moment, Agostini and Cadenasso were already leading the match 6-2, 4-4. Following the decision, they were awarded a direct passage into the semi-finals. Incidents like this have happened before in professional tennis. One of the most famous cases occurred at the US Open in 2020 involving Novak Djokovic.

During his fourth-round match against Pablo Carreño Busta, Djokovic lost his serve and trailed 5-6 in the first set. In frustration, he hit a ball toward the back of the court without looking.

The ball struck a lineswoman in the head and neck area. She immediately fell to the ground and held her throat after the impact.

Djokovic rushed over to check on her. Despite his concern, the rules left officials with little choice. Chair umpire Aurélie Tourte and tournament referee Soeren Friemel enforced the mandatory default. Djokovic’s tournament ended instantly.

Compared to those incidents, the recent moment involving Carlos Alcaraz and Daniil Medvedev had a completely different context, as Alcaraz never intended to hit Medvedev and instead directed the ball away to avoid contact. 

Still, moments like these remind fans how quickly tennis matches can turn chaotic. Even a single shot can spark controversy and shake the atmosphere on court.