Novak Djokovic won his seventh China Open title in Beijing on Tuesday after Alex de Minaur retired with a groin injury in the final, ending a match the Serbian led 7-6 (3), 0-1. De Minaur, who took a medical timeout after losing a gruelling first-set tiebreak, returned with his left thigh heavily bandaged but lasted just one more game before signalling he could not continue, as reported by Reuters.

The 39-year-old Djokovic, who had needed abdominal treatment himself after the first set, looked surprised when the 27-year-old Australian called it a day. "I'm really sorry for the way you had to finish today and I really hope that you can recover quickly," Djokovic told de Minaur at the trophy presentation. The ninth-ranked de Minaur apologised to the crowd: "I don't feel great. I want to say sorry to the amazing fans that came to watch… I didn't want to finish like this."

A bizarre fortnight in Beijing

The strange ending capped a surreal week at the Diamond Court. Both semi-finals on Monday ended prematurely: Hubert Hurkacz retired with an injury while trailing de Minaur 6-4, 3-2, and Daniil Medvedev was defaulted against Djokovic for striking a spectator with a ball. So Djokovic reached the final without playing a complete semi-final — after earlier beating US Open champion Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals, a first complete top-10 win in three years for the Serbian.

The final itself had been a tight, physical battle for the opening 68 minutes. De Minaur's aggressive groundstrokes kept the Serbian pinned to the baseline, and the Australian saved two break points before unforced errors cost him the tiebreak 7-3. But his thigh would not survive another set.

102 titles, and the twilight keeps waiting

The win is Djokovic's first title of 2026 and his first since November 2025. It is the 102nd of his career at tour level — one behind Roger Federer (103) and behind only Jimmy Connors (109) in the Open era. He extended his unbeaten record at the China Open to 34-0 across seven appearances, having returned to Beijing for the first time since his previous title in 2015.

At 39, Djokovic also becomes the oldest man to win an ATP 500-level title since Ken Rosewall won in Hong Kong in 1977 at 43, and the title returns him to the ATP top 10 after he had slipped down the rankings following his first-round exit at the US Open. Notably, he has now won a singles title in 21 consecutive years.

It was a muted celebration. "It's a bit of a strange feeling," he admitted. "I want to celebrate because I think I played one of my best weeks in the last couple of years. At the same time, he retired from the match at the beginning of the second set, so it doesn't feel respectful to jump around and be joyful, but I'm very proud of this achievement."

A body under strain, and plans to carry on

Djokovic has been frank all week about a body that has pushed back at every turn this season. He suffered an undisclosed health condition that limited him to just eight tournaments this year, lost his only other final of 2026 to Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open, and needed a medical timeout in his Beijing opener against Nuno Borges.

"I always have high expectations of myself and always want to visualise myself with the trophy, particularly here in Beijing, a place where I have never lost," he said. "But I was also aware that reality is a little bit different these days. This year has been quite challenging for me: lots of physical and health issues. I just tried to find a good feeling on the court, and obviously I know that when I'm striking the ball well I can still compete at the highest level. This week has been evidence of that."

He reiterated his intention to keep playing until at least the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, while the title chase continues against a backdrop of a changing guard — with Jannik Sinner's season-ending knee injury reshuffling the top of the men's game.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did Alex de Minaur retire in the China Open final?

De Minaur retired with a groin injury early in the second set, with Djokovic leading 7-6 (3), 0-1. He had already taken a medical timeout after the first set, returned with his left thigh heavily bandaged, won the first game of the second set, and then decided he could not continue.

How many titles has Djokovic won now?

The China Open is Djokovic's 102nd tour-level title, moving him one behind Roger Federer's 103 and second only to Jimmy Connors's Open-era record of 109. It is his seventh China Open title and his first title of 2026.

Does Djokovic plan to retire soon?

No — he has reiterated this week that he intends to continue playing until at least the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, despite a season interrupted by physical and health problems. "Many times I've questioned whether I want to keep playing this way," he said in Beijing, "but this week has proved me wrong once again."