Novak Djokovic secured his seventh China Open title in Beijing on Tuesday, extending his unbeaten record at the tournament to 34 matches and claiming his 102nd career singles title. The 39-year-old Serbian champion triumphed after Australian opponent Alex de Minaur retired with an injury during the final, capping off a dramatic week of competition in Asia.
The victory serves as a powerful statement across the ATP tour following a hard-court swing in America that fell short of the veteran player’s usual benchmarks. Djokovic’s path to the championship required navigating high-stakes encounters, including a quarterfinal win against Alexander Zverev and a semifinal victory over Daniil Medvedev that concluded under extraordinary circumstances.
Djokovic’s performances in Beijing quickly drew commentary from across the tennis world. Andy Roddick weighed in during an episode of his podcast, addressing questions regarding the 39-year-old’s enduring competitive capabilities at the highest level of the sport.
Path to the Beijing Title and Extraordinary Semifinal
The tournament route featured notable milestones and unusual finishes. In the quarterfinals, Djokovic overcame Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, a performance that lifted his Beijing record to 32-0 and surpassed Rafael Nadal’s previous Open Era mark for the best winning start at a single tournament.
The semifinal brought an abrupt end when Djokovic was leading Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 5-3 and serving for the match. During the exchange, Medvedev hit a ball toward the stands after it rebounded from the back wall, striking a spectator in the front row. Match officials disqualified the Russian player, handing Djokovic a spot in the final.
In the championship match, Djokovic faced Alex de Minaur. The Australian pushed the contest through a tightly contested opening set before Djokovic claimed the tiebreak 7-6(7-3). De Minaur subsequently received medical attention for his left thigh and managed to play just one game in the second set before retiring, leaving the score at 7-6(7-3), 0-1. The outcome marked Djokovic’s 21st consecutive year securing at least one men’s singles title.
Andy Roddick Evaluates Djokovic’s Grand Slam Prospects
Speaking on his podcast regarding Djokovic’s competitive standing, Roddick dismissed notions that the veteran could not overcome top opponents when fully fit.
“I don’t think – Roddick analyzed – that the conversation was ever about the fact that Novak in form could not beat anyone. I don’t think anyone said that. If that’s the case, if any person said that they’re idiots”.
“The real question – continued the last American to win a Grand Slam tournament – is not to know if he can play exceptional tennis for short periods. The question is rather: he can play seven times in the best of five sets, in the space of fourteen days, in extreme conditions. That’s the question to ask about him. I don’t know if we have the answer for the moment. He beat Zverev, in Beijing but that doesn’t surprise me. He’s Novak,” Roddick added.
Looking Ahead to Shanghai and Turin
Following his success in the Chinese capital, Djokovic traveled to Shanghai to continue his Asian swing. The 24-time Grand Slam winner has also expressed his desire to participate in the Nitto ATP Finals in Turin later this year, an event he triumphed in during 2023 but missed across the last two editions.
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