Novak Djokovic captured his 102nd ATP title and extended his perfect match record in the Chinese capital to 34 victories, claiming the China Open crown in Beijing after opponent Alex de Minaur retired with a left-thigh injury trailing 7-6 (3), 0-1, as reported by NOS Sport and Sporza.be.
Beijing Final Ends in Injury Retirement
The championship match at the National Tennis Center concluded abruptly when Australia’s Alex de Minaur called an end to proceedings. After dropping a tight opening set in a tiebreak, De Minaur had his left upper leg taped while Djokovic received treatment on his chest area near the sideline, according to Sporza.be reporting. De Minaur managed one service game in the second set before walking over to his opponent to withdraw due to a groin injury, settling the score at 7-6 (3), 0-1 in favor of the veteran Serb.
Djokovic beat several top seeds to reach the trophy match. NOS Sport noted that the 39-year-old ousted reigning Roland Garros and US Open champion Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Djokovic advanced when Daniil Medvedev received a disqualification for hitting a spectator with an angrily swatted ball. The tournament marked Djokovic’s first tour-level title since his triumph in Athens in November 2025, according to Sporza.be records.
Alcaraz Defends Title in Tokyo
Thousands of miles away in Japan, Carlos Alcaraz successfully defended his crown at the ATP tournament in Tokyo by defeating Czech Republic competitor Jirí Lehecka 7-6 (4), 6-4. The top-seeded Spaniard secured his 27th career title and his first since returning from a wrist injury that sidelined him from mid-April through August, forcing him to miss both Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Djokovic Nears All-Time Open Era Singles Title Records
Djokovic’s latest victory in Beijing moves the 39-year-old closer to the all-time Open Era singles title records. With 102 career titles, he sits directly behind Roger Federer at 103 and all-time leader Jimmy Connors at 109, as detailed by Sporza.be. The outlet also noted that Djokovic stands as the oldest ATP tournament winner since Ken Rosewall claimed a trophy in 1977.
Despite dropping to No. 11 in the ATP rankings following a quieter season that included a semifinal loss to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon and early exits at Cincinnati and the US Open, Djokovic maintained his unblemished record in Beijing. A source reported that the tournament drew crowds of up to 15,000 fans to the Beijing venue, where the 24-time Grand Slam champion has triumphed in all seven of his tournament appearances across his career.
Top Players Manage Physical Tolls and Recovery Paths
Both tournaments highlighted the physical tolls and recovery paths of top-tier professional tennis players at contrasting career stages. While the 23-year-old Alcaraz rebuilds momentum following months of injury rehabilitation to bring his career singles title tally to 27, Djokovic chooses his tournaments carefully while maintaining historical dominance on specific hardcourt surfaces.
Lehecka departs Tokyo as the tournament runner-up, holding firm at two career ATP titles, while De Minaur accepts the Beijing finalist trophy following a week that saw fellow semifinalist Hubert Hurkacz also forced to withdraw due to injury issues during the late stages of the Asian swing.
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