Djokovic Returns to Beijing After 11 Years and Stays Unbeaten There
The 39-year-old beat Nuno Borges for his first match win since Wimbledon, taking his China Open record to 30-0.
Novak Djokovic ended a run of nearly three months without a match win with a 6–3, 7–6(2) victory over Nuno Borges in the China Open first round on 30 September, per the ATP Tour. The 39-year-old's first win since the Wimbledon quarterfinals came in Beijing, per ESPN, where he had not competed since 2015, per Sky Sports.
The long wait
Djokovic arrived in Beijing carrying the weight of recent defeats. He reached the Wimbledon semifinal in July but lost to Jannik Sinner 6–4, 6–4, 6–4 on 10 July, per the ATP Tour. That loss came after he had won his quarterfinal match on 7 July, defeating Felix Auger-Aliassime 7–6(10), 3–6, 6–3, 6–7(4), 7–6(10–4) in a five-set encounter, per ESPN. The US Open delivered another setback: on 31 August, he fell to Mariano Navone in the first round in a five-set marathon lasting 4 hours 36 minutes, per ESPN. For nearly 12 weeks, no victories came his way. The match against Borges marked his return to the winner's circle.
Beijing remains unbeaten ground
The China Open has been one of Djokovic's most reliable stages. The win over Borges takes his record at the tournament to a perfect 30–0, per the ATP Tour. He has won the title six times—in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015, per the ATP Tour. His return to Beijing after 11 years, per Sky Sports, gives him the chance to pursue a seventh crown in a city where he has never lost a match. At 39, that record is a reminder of the consistency he has carried across his career.
Recovery in action
The opening match against Borges tested Djokovic's fitness and resolve. He required a medical timeout during the second set, per the ATP Tour. He responded well: after the timeout, he won his next two service games decisively and delivered a strong tiebreak, per Sky Sports. The match lasted 1 hour 51 minutes in total, per the ATP Tour.
His serve was the foundation of the win. Djokovic credited it himself, per the ATP Tour: "When I was serving, I was dominating and going through my games quite comfortably. It was helping getting those first serves in, that high percentages makes my life easier in my service games and I played a great tie-break to close it out in two, so I am very happy about that."
Recent results
| Date | Opponent | Tournament | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 July | Felix Auger-Aliassime | Wimbledon QF | 7–6(10), 3–6, 6–3, 6–7(4), 7–6(10–4) | Won |
| 10 July | Jannik Sinner | Wimbledon SF | 4–6, 4–6, 4–6 | Lost |
| 31 August | Mariano Navone | US Open R1 | Lost in 5 sets (4:36) | Lost |
| 30 September | Nuno Borges | China Open R1 | 6–3, 7–6(2) | Won |
The test ahead
At 39, Djokovic faces questions about how long he can keep winning at this level. Beijing, the stage for so much of his success, offers encouraging ground on which to answer them. Whether the victory over Borges is the start of a resurgence or a brief reprieve will become clearer as the week goes on. His next opponent is Bu Yunchaokete, scheduled for 2 October, per the ATP Tour. That match will provide an early indication of whether his first win since July can be the first of several.