A final decided by injury
Novak Djokovic won a record seventh China Open title in Beijing on Tuesday after Alex de Minaur retired with an injury during the final. The Australian had the problem treated early in the match, shook his head, and stopped shortly afterwards. Djokovic, 39, had taken the opening set and was in control when play ended. De Minaur addressed the crowd and apologised before the trophy ceremony.
It was Djokovic's first title since Athens in 2025, and it moved him past his own shared record of six titles in Beijing.
A strange road to the final
Djokovic reached the final when Daniil Medvedev was disqualified in the semi-final after striking a fan with a ball. Djokovic, who was three points from the win at the time, said he felt sorry for Medvedev and knew how it felt to be defaulted, recalling his own disqualification at the 2020 US Open. De Minaur had reached the final when Hubert Hurkacz retired in their semi-final.
At 39, Djokovic plays a reduced schedule and picks his events. Beijing was his sixth tournament of the year, and the title came in his first final since Athens.
A tour short on stars
The week also brought bigger news for the men's tour. Jannik Sinner announced he will miss the rest of the 2026 season to treat a knee injury, leaving Alexander Zverev likely to finish the year at number one. Carlos Alcaraz defended his Tokyo title. With the top of the rankings in flux and two of the biggest names absent or managing their calendars, Djokovic's shorter schedule is paying off in silverware.
Whether he plays the indoor swing in Europe this autumn is the next question for his team. After Beijing he said the priority is health, and that he will decide tournament by tournament rather than commit to a full calendar.