Novak Djokovic secured his sixth China Open title in Beijing by defeating Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-2 in the final on October 11, 2015. According to the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), the victory extended Djokovic’s dominant run at the tournament, maintaining an undefeated record in Beijing with 29 consecutive match wins since his debut in 2009.
Match Dominance and Tactical Execution
Djokovic controlled the championship match from the baseline, breaking Nadal’s serve early in both sets. According to match statistics reported by the ATP, Djokovic capitalized on five of his eight break point opportunities while not facing a single break point on his own serve throughout the 1-hour and 30-minute encounter. The straight-sets win marked the 26th career meeting between the two rivals in a final, narrowing Nadal’s overall head-to-head lead in finals to 13-13 at the time.
“I played on a very high level from the very beginning to the end,” Djokovic said in his post-match press conference, as published by the ATP. “It was definitely one of the best matches that I played against Rafa.”
Historical Context at the China Open
The 2015 title reinforced Djokovic’s historical success at the Olympic Green Tennis Center in Beijing. Prior to this victory, the Serbian player claimed the tournament crown in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, and 2014, skipping the 2011 event due to a back injury. Nadal, who reached his first Beijing final since winning the tournament in 2005, acknowledged Djokovic’s superior performance during the trophy ceremony.
“Novak played at a level that is difficult to stop,” Nadal stated, according to ATP reports. “He was better than me in all aspects of the game.”
Tournament Path and Subsequent Season Impact
To reach the 2015 final, Djokovic defeated a field that included Simone Bolelli, Zhang Ze, John Isner, and David Ferrer. The victory added 500 Emirates ATP Rankings points to Djokovic’s total during a season where he also captured three Grand Slam titles at the Australian Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. For Nadal, the runner-up finish provided valuable ranking points during a transitional 2015 season, helping him secure qualification for the season-ending ATP World Tour Finals in London.
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