Novak Djokovic secured his 102nd career singles title on Tuesday by winning the China Open in Beijing, becoming the oldest man in nearly five decades to claim a top-level tennis event. The 39-year-old Serbian extended his unbeaten streak in Beijing to 34 matches and earned his seventh China Open trophy, his first since 2015. Djokovic’s victory came after Australian Alex de Minaur retired due to injury during the final, while Djokovic was leading 7-6, 0-1.
De Minaur, ranked ninth in the world, withdrew because of a left adductor strain after a physically demanding first set that lasted over an hour, during which both players took medical timeouts. De Minaur had also advanced to the final following the retirement of Hubert Hurkacz in the semifinals. Following the match, de Minaur expressed regret for ending the final early and apologized to fans in attendance.
Djokovic described the year as challenging, citing physical and health struggles but attributed his success to resilience and a “never-die spirit” that has supported his career over more than two decades. “Tennis is quite a cruel sport,” Djokovic said, highlighting the intense pressure of year-round knockout tournaments and the demands of competing in front of fans. His current achievement mirrors an era last seen when Ken Rosewall won the Hong Kong Open in 1977 at age 43.
Earlier in the tournament, Djokovic overcame top seed Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals and dispatched local player Bu Yunchaokete in the round before. Djokovic’s win in Beijing marks at least one title in the season for the 21st consecutive year. It also inches him closer to the all-time records for tour-level singles titles held by Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors.
The tournament also featured notable performances in the women’s draw. Karolina Muchova reached the quarterfinals after defeating former world number one Naomi Osaka in a closely contested match that ended 7-5, 1-6, 7-6. Muchova overcame 50 unforced errors during the nearly three-hour contest and will next face compatriot Nikola Bartunkova. In other women’s matches, Russia’s Mirra Andreeva and Ekaterina Alexandrova advanced to the quarterfinals, with Alexandrova upsetting Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova.
Meanwhile, the men's tennis landscape is shifting as Italy’s Jannik Sinner announced he will miss the remainder of 2026 due to a knee injury. Sinner, a two-time Wimbledon champion, has not competed since his July victory and is undergoing treatment that will sideline him through key upcoming events, including the Masters in Paris, the ATP Finals, and the Davis Cup Finals. His withdrawal paves the way for Germany's Alex Zverev, 29, to ascend to the world No. 1 ranking for the first time, marking the first German to reach that position since Boris Becker in 1991.
In parallel, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz ended a trophy drought by winning the Japan Open in Tokyo, his first title since February. Alcaraz defeated Czech player Jiri Lehecka 7-6, 6-4 to clinch the victory, demonstrating signs of recovery following a series of injuries in 2026.
This week’s results underscore a transitional phase in men’s professional tennis, with veteran Djokovic extending his longevity while younger stars like Zverev are poised to assume leadership amid the sidelining of other top contenders.