Djokovic Wins Record-Extending 7th China Open Title After De Minaur Retires Injured

A final cut short by injury

Novak Djokovic was handed the China Open trophy in Beijing after Alex de Minaur retired with a groin injury early in the second set of the final, having already won the opening game before stopping. Both players had taken medical timeouts after the first set, which Djokovic won 7-6 (3), and the match was ultimately recorded as 7-6(3), 0-1 in his favor.

The win extends Djokovic's remarkable record at the China Open to a perfect 34-0 across his career at the event, securing his seventh Beijing title. It also brings his career ATP tour title count to 102, now just one behind Roger Federer's 103, with Jimmy Connors still well clear at the top of the Open era list with 109.

A difficult road for De Minaur

For de Minaur, ranked No. 9 in the world, the final represented a shot at both his first Beijing title and a second title of the year following his win in Rotterdam back in February. He had reached the final after Hubert Hurkacz retired injured during the second set of their semifinal, meaning the Australian's run to the final came with its own share of good fortune before his own body gave out at the decisive moment.

An eventful path to the final

Djokovic's own route to the title had its share of drama as well. He beat reigning US Open champion Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals, then advanced past Daniil Medvedev in the semifinal after Medvedev was disqualified for striking a spectator with the ball during their match.

The China Open title adds to what has been a strong season for the 39-year-old, whose only final defeat all year came against Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open, underlining that even deep into his career, Djokovic remains one of the toughest outs on tour at the tournaments where he has historically excelled.