BEIJING/WASHINGTON, October 6, 2026 (by Michael Dickens)
After Novak Djokovic won a record-extending seventh China Open title Tuesday night, his 102nd career ATP Tour singles crown, it left him with a strange feeling. He wanted to celebrate but it didn’t feel quite right.
The World No. 11 Djokovic won by retirement after his opponent, Alex de Minaur, was unable to continue after the first game of the second set due to a groin injury. The 39-year-old Serbian great led the World No. 9 de Minaur of Australia, 7-6 (3), 0-1, after an hour and 23 minutes. The victory extended Djokovic’s unbeaten streak in Beijing to 34-0.
“I want to celebrate, because I’ve played one of the best weeks in the last couple of years,” Djokovic told ATP Media during an on-court interview following the title match. “At the same time he [de Minaur] retired at the beginning of the second, so it doesn’t feel right to jump around and be joyful. But deep inside, I’m very proud of this achievement.”
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The title was the 73rd won by Djokovic on a hard-court surface, which is two more than Roger Federer, and it was his first title since winning at Athens last November. Djokovic’s 102nd tour-level title overall moved him to within one of Federer’s 103 for second-most in the Open Era behind Jimmy Connors’ 109.
It was Djokovic’s first visit to Beijing since 2015, when he defeated Rafael Nadal in the final to win his sixth China Open title. This week, Djokovic defeated Nuno Borges and Bu Yunchaokete in the opening rounds of the ATP 500 event. Then, he knocked out three Top-10 in three consecutive days. First, he beat World No. 2 and top seed Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals on Sunday, and won by disqualification over World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals Monday before garnering the title over de Minaur.
During the abbreviated final, Djokovic won 90 percent (18 of 20) of his first-serve points, saved the only break point he faced and outpointed de Minaur 47-41. Both players took medical time outs following the lengthy first set.
“I want to say sorry to all the amazing fans who came to watch this match,” de Minaur said during the trophy ceremony. “I didn’t want to finish like this, so I’m really sorry. To my team – those who are here and also back home – thank you. It’s been a great week and I’m sure there’s plenty more to come.”
Get well soon, @alexdeminaur ❤️🩹
@DjokerNole is the champion in Beijing after de Minaur is forced to retire due to injury at 7-6(3), 0-1.
@ChinaOpen | #chinaopen https://t.co/NOpvT8QGJd
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 6, 2026
When it was Djokovic’s turn to speak during the trophy ceremony, he said:
”It’s been 11 years since I last played here. 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.
“This year has been quite challenging for me: Lots of physical and health issues. I was just trying to find a good feeling on the court. I know that if I’m feeling well and striking the ball well, I can compete at the highest level. This week has been evidence of that.”
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• No. 2 seeds Julian Cash and Lloyd Glasspool of Great Britain defeated Sander Arends and David Pel of the Netherlands, 6-3, 3-6, 10-6, in one hour and 17 minutes to win the China Open doubles title. It is the third ATP 500 doubles crown this season for Cash and Glasspool, following title wins in Barcelona and Washington, D.C., and by winning Beijing, they are the first all-British team to capture the China Open.
Alcaraz successfully defends Tokyo title
Carlos Alcaraz lifted his first trophy since winning Doha in February after he successfully defended his Kinoshita Group Japan Open Tennis Championships title in Tokyo Tuesday evening.
The 23-year-old Spaniard, who became the first player to win back-to-back Japan Open titles since Pete Sampras in 1993-94, defeated 19th-ranked Jiri Lehecka of Czechia, 7-6 (4), 6-4, in one hour and 36 minutes.
The World No. 3 Alcaraz, who won 85 percent of his first-serve points, finished with four aces and 17 winners overall. He converted two of four break-point chances and outpointed Lehecka 69-60 in collecting his third title of the 2026 season to go along with the Australian Open and Doha.
THE DEFENDING CHAMPION DOES IT AGAIN 🏆
#KinoshitaJOTennis https://t.co/70hw4DnANQ
— ATP Tour (@atptour) October 6, 2026
Since returning from an extended absence while dealing with a right wrist injury, Alcaraz has strung together nine victories in 10 matches, losing only to Ben Shelton during the quarterfinals of the US Open. En route to winning Tokyo, Alcaraz defeated Alex Michelsen, Matteo Arnaldi, Denis Shapovalov, Jaume Munar and Lehecka. The wins against Michelsen and Munar went the distance.
“I’m really happy to be able to lift a trophy again,” Alcaraz said during his on-court interview with ATP Media. “It’s been a while, and obviously it is extra special after my injury. My comeback, in the second tournament that I’ve played, lifting a trophy means a lot.
“I’m really happy about it. A tough week. I didn’t find my best level, but I did find the good solutions, and I think that is what matters at the end. Playing the most important points the best you can. I think I did it this week. I would say today was the best match of the week, or at least more consistent, the level that I played.”
Alcaraz improved to 21-0 in ATP 500-level matches since losing the 2025 Barcelona final to Holger Rune.
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• No. 4 seeds Austin Krajicek of the United States and Nikola Mektic of Croatia won their second doubles title of the season by upsetting No. 2 seeds Theo Arribage and Albano Olivetti of France, 7-6 (5), 5-7, 10-6, in two hours to win the Japan Open. The victory improved their win-loss record to 29-20 this season.
By the numbers
During the Open Era, Novak Djokovic has appeared in 146 tournaments-level finals, which is tied for third best with Ivan Lendl. Djokovic trails Jimmy Connors (164) and Roger Federer (157).
Also, Djokovic is the first man in the Open Era to win a tour-level trophy in 21 consecutive seasons.
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“Quotable …”
“Obviously a lot of negative thoughts come to your mind. If you are going to come back healthy, if you are going to come back the same as I was before. If I will be able to hit the ball normally without pain at all. A lot of thoughts came to my mind, but I tried to put those thoughts away all the time.
“My team and I knew that if I come back, I was going to feel 100 percent. If I feel something, [the comeback is] not going to be anything, so I just have to go full for every shot, every ball, and I trust [my team], I trust myself, and it worked out.”
– Japan Open champion Carlos Alcaraz of Spain, during his on-court interview with ATP Media, asked whether he feared not winning a tournament again after returning from his wrist injury.
