Novak Djokovic once again showed the signs of lingering physical challenges during his second‑round clash at the China Open, yet he managed to reverse a deficit and stave off elimination against world No. 104 wildcard Yunchaokete Bu. The Serbian entered the match trailing 0-1 in the opening set, but he rallied to force a second‑set tiebreak and ultimately secured a three‑set triumph, 4-6 7-6(7-2) 6-2, extending his unbeaten run at the Beijing tournament to an impressive 31 matches. Earlier in August, Djokovic disclosed that he is coping with a chronic health issue, but he insisted he felt "good" heading into the week’s competition.
Nevertheless, his recent matches have hinted at bouts of fatigue. After dispatching Nuno Borges in the first round, he admitted he "struggled a little bit to stay fresh" and had to rely on strategic serving and timing to stay competitive. The same pattern emerged against Bu, where Djokovic described his own performance as a battle to find openings in an opponent who was "solid" and "mixing things up" with precise serves and varied back‑court slices. Bu started aggressively, pressuring Djokovic from the outset and creating three break‑point chances at 3-3 in the first set.
Djokovic managed to save each one, but a mistimed one‑handed backhand forced a break against him, handing Bu the early advantage. The two players traded blows for roughly an hour, with neither able to dominate.
In the second set, Djokovic tapped into a reserve of energy, clinching the tiebreak 7-2 despite appearing visibly fatigued and receiving on‑court treatment for a side issue. That momentum shift propelled him into the decisive third set, where he surged ahead 4-0 before sealing the match, earning a quarter‑final berth against the winner of the Alexander Zverev versus Juncheng Shang encounter. The broader Beijing action featured several notable results. Daniil Medvedev advanced to a second‑round showdown with Jan‑Lennard Struff after dispatching Pablo Carreno‑Busta 6-4 6-2, while Karen Khachanov overcame Alex Molcan 7-5 6-3.
In Japan, at the Kinoshita Group Japan Open, Artur Fils defeated Frances Tiafoe 6-3 7-5 to move into his own quarter‑finals. On the women’s side, world No.
2 Aryna Sabalenka opened her China Open campaign with a commanding 6-1 6-3 victory over world No. 94 Renata Zarazua.
Sabalenka unleashed powerful groundstrokes early, racing to a 3-0 lead, then breaking again to go up 5-1 before serving out the set. She maintained her intensity in the second set, breaking Zarazua early and closing the match with another break, setting up a clash with world No.
34 Nikola Bartunkova. Naomi Osaka faced a tougher test, needing three sets to defeat Maria Timofeeva 6-3 3-6 6-3. Osaka admitted the match was "really tough" and noted it was her first tournament since New York, making it difficult to find her rhythm.
After a comfortable first set, Osaka’s level dipped in the second, allowing Timofeeva to rally from a break down to win five consecutive games and level the match. The four‑time Grand Slam champion, however, found a second wind in the decider, running off five straight games to seal the win and set up a meeting with 20th seed Sara Bejlek.
British hopeful Katie Boulter’s run ended in the second round, where she fell 7-6(7-3) 6-1 to world No. 8 Karolina Muchova. The loss continued a pattern for Boulter, who has yet to beat Muchova this season, having lost all three of their meetings, including a recent US Open encounter.
Muchova praised Boulter’s effort, noting the match was "very close" and that Boulter served well and hit clean shots, but a few pivotal points made the difference. After taking a quick 4-1 lead, Boulter allowed Muchova to claw back, with the Czech breaking to level at 4-4. The pair exchanged high‑quality rallies, and Muchova’s occasional drop shots and aggressive winners forced a tiebreak, which she claimed 7-3.
She then accelerated in the second set, breaking Boulter twice to book a third‑round match against world No. 39 Liudmila Samsonova. These narratives underscore the physical and mental demands of elite tennis, especially for players like Djokovic who are managing ongoing health concerns while still striving for consistency at the highest level.
His ability to dig deep, adjust tactics on the fly, and summon the necessary stamina in crucial moments reflects the resilience that has defined his career. Meanwhile, the tournament continues to showcase emerging talent and seasoned veterans alike, offering a blend of powerful baseline exchanges, strategic serving, and the ever‑present quest for recovery after grueling matches. Fans can follow the remaining action via live streams on platforms that do not require contracts, such as NOW and the Sky Sports App, which provide coverage of the ATP Japan Open, the WTA/ATP China Open, and the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters.