Novak Djokovic concluded a dominant week in Beijing by securing the China Open title, marking his first tournament victory in nearly a year. The 39-year-old claimed the win after his final opponent, Alex de Minaur, was forced to retire due to injury after just one game into the second set. With this 7-6, 0-1 victory, Djokovic has now secured at least one title in every one of the last 21 years, bringing his total career tour-level trophies to 102. He maintains a perfect record in Beijing, where he has never lost a match. While De Minaur’s opponent Hubert Hurkacz pulled the plug because of injury, both men reached the final without having to complete their matches on Monday – Djokovic thanks to the much-publicised disqualification of Daniil Medvedev. But it came as a big surprise when De Minaur abruptly shook hands after winning the opening game of the second set, djokovic edged a very tight first set on a tie-break before the two men each took a medical timeout. The sporting obituaries were being prepared, but the Serbian has shown once again that writing him off would be premature, when Djokovic lost in the opening round of the US Open amid ongoing physical struggles.
De Minaur, who had been playing with strapping on his left thigh, expressed his disappointment during the post-match ceremony. He apologized to the fans, stating, “I want to say sorry to all the amazing fans that came to watch this match. I didn’t want to finish like this.” Both finalists reached the championship match after their respective semi-final opponents withdrew earlier in the week.
Reflecting on his triumph, which included a win over top seed Alexander Zverev, Djokovic acknowledged the challenges of his current season. “It’s been 11 years since I played here last,” he noted. “This year has been quite challenging for me, lots of ups and downs and physical and health issues, so I was just trying to find a good feeling on the court.” He added that proving he could still compete at an elite level after a difficult year made the trophy particularly meaningful. “I was also quite aware that reality’s a little bit different these days. “I know that when I’m feeling well and striking the ball well I can still compete at the highest level.
In Tokyo, Carlos Alcaraz secured his first individual title since February by defeating Jiri Lehecka at the Japan Open. The victory, which came via a 7-6, 6-4 scoreline, represents a major milestone for the Spaniard as he continues to recover from a four-and-a-half-month wrist injury. This tournament marked only his third event since returning to the tour.
Alcaraz admitted his performance fluctuated throughout the week but remained pleased with the outcome. “I’m really happy to be able to lift a trophy again. It’s been a while and obviously it’s extra special after my injury,” he told Sky Sports. He noted that while he did not feel he played his absolute best, he found necessary solutions to secure the win, calling the final match his most consistent of the week. Who showed patchy form at times but finished with a strong performance, it is a second title in a row in the Japanese capital for Alcaraz.
While competition continues for some, Jannik Sinner’s season has come to an early conclusion. The player confirmed on Tuesday that he will sit out the remainder of the 2026 calendar to focus on recovery. A team statement explained the decision, noting, “On the advice of his medical team, Jannik Sinner will follow a course of treatment for inflammation in his knee. The decision has been made to have the treatment now to give Jannik the necessary time to recover before beginning preparations for 2027.” As a result, Sinner is set to miss all remaining competitions this year.
