Novak Djokovic claimed a record seventh China Open title in Beijing on Tuesday after Alex de Minaur retired with a groin injury, trailing 7-6(3), 0-1.
The 39-year-old Serbian extended his perfect record at the tournament to 34-0 and secured his 102nd career ATP title. Both players required medical attention after a tightly contested first set that lasted 67 minutes and went to a tiebreak.
Djokovic received treatment on his abdomen, an issue that had required attention earlier in the week, while de Minaur left the court for an off-court timeout.
De Minaur returned with his left thigh heavily strapped and held serve to open the second set. He then walked to the net and retired, telling the crowd he was sorry for the abrupt ending. The Australian later said he felt the problem in his adductor late in the first set and would travel to Shanghai for scans. He had been competitive throughout the opening set, saving break points and matching Djokovic from the baseline before errors in the tiebreak cost him the set.
Djokovic’s path to the title included unusual finishes. He advanced past Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals after the Russian was disqualified for striking a spectator with a ball, and de Minaur had reached the final when Hubert Hurkacz retired injured. The victory marked Djokovic’s first title since Athens in November 2025 and kept alive his streak of winning at least one singles title in 21 consecutive seasons.
At the trophy ceremony, Djokovic wished de Minaur a quick recovery. De Minaur, the fifth seed and world No. 9, had been seeking his first Beijing title. The result lifts Djokovic in the race for the ATP Finals and underscores his continued ability to collect titles even as he manages physical issues deep into his career.
