Novak Djokovic starts China Open with first win since July
Novak Djokovic opened his China Open campaign with a 6-3, 7-6 (2) win over Nuno Borges in Beijing, his first victory since July and an extension of his perfect 30-0 record at the event. The sixth seed needed a medical timeout but closed out the tiebreak to advance.
The Associated Press report carried by ESPN said the 39-year-old Serb had not won a match since July 7 in the Wimbledon quarterfinals. It was also his first outing since a first-round exit at the U.S. Open on Aug. 31, ending a difficult late-summer stretch for the former world No. 1.
Key Takeaways
- Djokovic beat Borges 6-3, 7-6 (2) for his first win since July.
- His China Open record moved to a flawless 30-0; he has won the title six times.
- He took a medical timeout while trailing 3-2 in the second set, then recovered.
- Next up is Chinese wild card Yunchaokete Bu in the second round.
What happened in Djokovic's China Open opener?
Playing as the No. 6 seed, Djokovic broke Borges in the Portuguese player's first service game—the only break of the match, per ESPN. He later required on-court treatment from a physio when he fell behind 3-2 in the second set.
The issue was not disclosed. After the timeout, he held his next two service games to love and lifted his level into the tiebreak, racing ahead and converting one of four match points when Borges steered a backhand into the net.
Field Level Media's ATP roundup, carried by Reuters partners, added that Djokovic struck eight aces, saved both break points he faced, and finished in one hour, 51 minutes on the Beijing hard courts.
Why does Djokovic's 30-0 Beijing record matter?
The win stretched an extraordinary China Open ledger: six titles between 2009 and 2015 and zero losses in Beijing. It was his first match at the tournament since 2015, ending an 11-year absence from an event he once dominated.
A Yahoo Sports commentary argued the 30-0 line is genuine but easy to overread. Most of those wins came when Djokovic was between 22 and 28; at 39, the streak says more about past dominance than current form—yet six titles without a defeat still rank among the sport's rare venue records.
Who does Novak Djokovic play next in Beijing?
According to the Reuters ATP roundup, Djokovic will face Chinese wild card Yunchaokete Bu, who defeated Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2, 5-7, 6-4. Elsewhere in Beijing, Karen Khachanov upset No. 2 seed Félix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 in just over an hour.
For more celebrity and sports buzz, browse BlasterPost's Celebrity Breaking News hub as the China Open continues this week.