Novak Djokovic claimed the 102nd tour-level title of his career at the China Open on October 6, 2026, after Alex de Minaur retired with a groin injury during the second set of the final at the National Tennis Center in Beijing.
The 39-year-old Serbian secured a 7-6(3), 0-1 victory when De Minaur stopped playing after winning the opening game of the second set. With this triumph, Djokovic maintains his perfect 34-0 match record at the event and collects his seventh China Open trophy, establishing him as the most senior male player to capture an ATP Tour-level title since Ken Rosewall triumphed in Hong Kong at age 43 in 1877.
Medical Retirement Ends Final in Beijing
The final concluded abruptly when De Minaur signaled he could no longer continue. The Australian left the court for a medical timeout after losing the first-set tiebreak and returned with his left thigh heavily bandaged. He played through the first game of the second set before retiring, apologizing to the crowd and stating he did not want the match to finish that way.
Both players had advanced to the final under unusual circumstances. Both semi-finals on the previous day ended prematurely. Djokovic advanced when his semi-final opponent, Daniil Medvedev, was disqualified for hitting a spectator with a ball, while Hubert Hurkacz retired due to injury in his match against De Minaur.
Djokovic Overcomes Physical Struggles to End Title Drought
Djokovic entered the Beijing tournament following a challenging stretch of physical and health issues that limited his schedule throughout the season. The 24-time Grand Slam champion suffered a first-round loss at the US Open in tears, reached the semi-finals of Wimbledon before losing to Jannik Sinner, and exited the French Open in the third round against Joao Fonseca.
"This year has been quite challenging for me, lots of ups and downs and physical and health issues, so I was just trying to find a good feeling on the court," Djokovic said during the trophy ceremony. The victory marks his first title in just over a year and moves him within one trophy of Roger Federer’s 103 for second-most in the Open Era, trailing only Jimmy Connors’ 109.
Race to Turin Implications
By capturing the title, Djokovic became the first man in the Open Era to win a tour-level trophy in 21 consecutive seasons. The victory moves him back inside the world’s top 10 and lifts him six places to ninth in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, putting him 140 points ahead of 10th-placed De Minaur in the battle for qualification to the year-end finals.
Carlos Alcaraz claimed the Japan Open title by defeating Jiri Lehecka 7-6, 6-4 in Tokyo, marking the Spaniard’s first individual title since February after returning from a four-and-a-half-month wrist injury.
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