Novak Djokovic returned to winning ways at the China Open, claiming his first ATP title since the Athens Open in late 2025. He took the honours without facing a match point in the final after his opponent, Alex de Minaur, retired through injury in the second set.
Path to the title
It was the same outcome for Djokovic in the semi-finals, with Daniil Medvedev being defaulted after hitting a ball at a spectator. Djokovic showed flashes of brilliance on the way to the title, beating Nuno Borges and Yunchaokete Bu in the opening two rounds while dropping just one set.
He went on to secure a hard-fought win over Alexander Zverev, arguably the world's best player on current form, in the quarter-finals. Djokovic was one game away from victory over Medvedev when the Russian was defaulted and was firmly on course to beat De Minaur before the final was cut short as well.
Grand Slam prospects
His resurgence in China has revived the possibility of winning at least one more Grand Slam title before he eventually calls time on his career. Djokovic is currently the most decorated Grand Slam player in history with 24 titles to his name, but he hasn't prevailed at one since winning the US Open in 2023.
Over the last three years, Sinner, Alcaraz and Zverev have swept up every major honour between them, leaving Djokovic stuck on his current total. He will celebrate his 40th birthday next year and has already shown signs of a physical decline, while he revealed during the China Open that he is also dealing with an unspecified long-term medical problem.
However, if he can produce the level of form he showed in Beijing when it comes to future Grand Slam events, there will always be a chance that Djokovic could snatch that elusive 25th honour, especially if he is handed fortunate draws.
