Novak Djokovic made a triumphant return to the China Open on Wednesday, maintaining his flawless record in Beijing with a 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) win over Portugal’s Nuno Borges. The victory extended the 39-year-old Serbian’s unbeaten streak in the city to 30 matches, a tournament he has dominated with six titles throughout his career. This appearance marked his first match in the event since 2015.
Despite the result, Djokovic faced physical challenges during the one hour and 50-minute encounter. He required a medical timeout for his right shoulder and was observed stretching his back between games during the second set. Nevertheless, he secured the win when Borges, currently ranked 49th globally, hit a shot into the net. Clinching it when Borges, the world number 49 from Portugal, returned into the net, but he forced a path to victory in one hour and 50 minutes.
Reflecting on his return, Djokovic stated, “It’s a great pleasure to be back in my happy place,” noting that the local atmosphere and conditions suit his playing style. He acknowledged that he is a “completely different person and player” than during his last visit 11 years ago, but expressed satisfaction in keeping his streak alive. Looking ahead, he is scheduled to play wildcard entrant Bu Yunchaokete in the second round. “Obviously I’m a completely different person and player than I was 11 years ago when I played here last but thankfully I kept the streak going and hopefully I can do it again,” he said.
Earlier in the day, Karen Khachanov delivered a dominant performance to eliminate second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime with a 6-3, 6-3 victory. The 26th-ranked Russian wrapped up the opening set in 31 minutes and concluded the match in one hour and 11 minutes. He is now set to face either Arthur Rinderknech or Alex Molcan in the round of 16. Khachanov, the world number 26, won three straight games, taking the first set in 31 minutes.
Addressing the win against the Canadian fifth seed, Khachanov dismissed claims that he holds a psychological edge. “It was a tough match,” the US Open-winning Russian remarked. “When you approach this match you are thinking it’s a completely new match, completely different. In China, in Beijing. Different court, different balls.” He added that his strategy focuses on starting from zero and maintaining momentum. You know that what you did well… and you just try to keep the momentum going.
Top-seeded Alexander Zverev, who recently claimed the US Open title, is preparing for his first-round match against Cameron Norrie on Thursday. While Zverev has been mentioned in discussions regarding the world number one ranking, he emphasized that his primary goal is simply to prepare well for his matches. “Everything else will fall into place,” the 29-year-old German said. There is not much secret about it.”.
The tournament, which is held alongside a WTA 1000-level event in Beijing, continues to draw significant fan interest. Supporters filled the stands to watch the Serbian star, who previously delighted the crowd by securing an ace to close out the first game and saving two break points despite struggling with double-faults early on.
