Novak Djokovic wins China Open as Alex de Minaur retires in Beijing final

Final cut short by injury

Novak Djokovic secured his seventh China Open title on Tuesday after Alex de Minaur retired early in the second set on the Diamond central court in Beijing. The Serbian sixth seed took the opening set 7-6 (7-3) in a 74-minute contest that featured no service breaks, with De Minaur saving two break points and Djokovic saving one. Following the tiebreak, both players took medical timeouts, with Djokovic receiving treatment for an apparent abdominal issue and De Minaur having his left upper thigh heavily taped. The Australian fifth seed held serve to open the second set but immediately stopped play and conceded the match due to an adductor muscle injury. The retirement handed Djokovic his 34th consecutive match victory in Beijing, preserving his undefeated record at the tournament.

Path through the Beijing draw

The victory concluded a demanding week in Beijing for the 39-year-old Serb, who entered the tournament after limited action in Cincinnati and the US Open following a Wimbledon semi-final defeat against Jannik Sinner. In the quarter-finals, Djokovic defeated reigning French Open and US Open champion Alexander Zverev. His semi-final against Daniil Medvedev lasted more than two hours across three sets before the Russian was disqualified for hitting a spectator with a ball hit in frustration. De Minaur reached the final after his semi-final opponent, Poland's Hubert Hurkacz, also retired due to injury during their penultimate match.

Milestone numbers and the ATP Finals race

The title is the 102nd ATP singles trophy of Djokovic's career, placing him one tournament victory behind Roger Federer's tally of 103 and trailing all-time leader Jimmy Connors. Djokovic became the first player aged 39 or older to win an ATP tour title since Ken Rosewall in 1977. The victory also extends his streak of winning at least one tour-level title to 21 consecutive seasons, dating back to his first career title. By claiming the ATP 500 event and its $4,089,385 prize purse, Djokovic moved up to eighth in the world rankings, overtaking De Minaur in the ATP Race to qualify for the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.

Reaction and looking forward

The championship represents Djokovic's first trophy of 2026 and his first tournament victory since defeating Lorenzo Musetti at the Athens final in November 2025. During the post-match trophy presentation, Djokovic addressed his physical difficulties throughout the campaign and acknowledged his opponent.

This year has been quite a challenge for me due to health issues. I am very satisfied with this victory, and I thank all the fans and my team for their support. This trophy means much more than just winning a single tournament. This is a special place for me. I congratulate Alex on his tournament, I am sorry the final ended this way, and I wish him the best for the coming months and his career.

Djokovic now turns his focus to the remaining events on the autumn schedule as he attempts to secure his qualification for Turin.