Novak Djokovic wins seventh China Open title

Novak Djokovic secured his seventh China Open title on Tuesday after his opponent in the final, Alex de Minaur, was forced to retire due to a groin injury. The Australian fifth seed attempted to continue playing with a heavily bandaged thigh after a medical timeout but withdrew after losing the first game of the second set, with the scoreline at 7-6(3), 0-1. This victory extends the 39-year-old Serbian’s unbeaten record at the Beijing tournament to 34 matches and marks his 21st consecutive year of winning a singles title.

The tournament saw several unusual endings, including both semi-finals on Monday, where Hubert Hurkacz retired due to injury and Daniil Medvedev was disqualified for hitting a spectator with a ball. In the semi-finals, Djokovic had previously overcome top seed Alexander Zverev in a three-set comeback, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. This was Djokovic’s first appearance at the ATP 500 event in Beijing since 2015, where he successfully navigated a field marked by significant disruptions. De Minaur, 27, expressed his regret to the fans following the premature conclusion of the match, while Djokovic wished his opponent a speedy recovery.