Novak Djokovic Stays Perfect in Beijing With Seventh China Open Title

The 39-year-old won the 2026 China Open on Tuesday when Alex de Minaur retired from the final, earning his seventh Beijing title and the 102nd tour-level title of his career. This was his first appearance at the tournament in 11 years, and it was his first ATP title since Athens last November.

Djokovic Defeats de Minaur in China Open Final

In the final, Djokovic took the opening set 7-6(3) before de Minaur retired with the score at 7-6(3), 0-1. De Minaur left the court for treatment on a groin issue after the first set and retired after returning for the second. Before that, he had held off early pressure from Djokovic, saving break points at 1-0 and 3-2, but unforced errors cost him the tiebreak.

The ending followed a semifinal that also finished early, as Daniil Medvedev was defaulted while trailing Djokovic 7-5, 5-3 after a ball he hit into the stands struck a spectator. This handed Djokovic both his semifinal and final victories without needing a match point. Earlier in the week, he also beat top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarterfinals.

After the match, Djokovic said during the trophy ceremony, “I always have high expectations of myself and always want to visualize myself with the trophy, particularly here in Beijing, a place where I have never lost. But I was also aware that reality is a little bit different these days.” In his post-match interview, he also called it “one of the best weeks in the last couple of years.”

Novak Djokovic’s History at the China Open

Djokovic has won the title every time he’s played in Beijing, including in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, and now 2026. He won his sixth title in 2015, when he beat Rafael Nadal in the final, and stayed away from Beijing for the next 11 years before returning this fall. The win extends his record at the event to 34-0, an unprecedented mark for any tournament, and his seven titles are a tournament record.

The Rest of Djokovic’s 2026 Season

Djokovic's title in Beijing is his first of 2026, marking a potential turnaround from a turbulent season so far. He entered the week ranked No. 11, with his only other final appearance this year ending in a loss to Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open. This win strengthens his bid to return to the ATP Finals, with Medvedev forfeiting his Beijing ranking points with the default.

Djokovic is currently in the draw for the Shanghai Masters as the No. 10 seed, though he said earlier in the week he was unsure about playing there. He has won a record four titles at the event, most recently in 2018. His title in Beijing now puts him at 102 career ATP Tour titles, just one behind Roger Federer’s 103 for the second-most tour-level titles in the Open Era. He’s also the first man in the Open Era to win a tour-level title in 21 consecutive seasons, and at 39, he’s now the oldest ATP 500 champion since the category was created in 2009.

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