Novak Djokovic once again found himself grappling with lingering fitness concerns as he fought back from a set down to stave off a second‑round exit against world No. 104 wildcard Yunchaokete Bu at the China Open on Friday. The Serbian star fell behind 0-1 in the opening set, yet managed to force a tiebreak in the second set before digging deep to clinch the match in three sets, posting a 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 victory.
The win extended his unbeaten run at the Beijing tournament to an impressive 31 consecutive matches. Earlier in August, Djokovic disclosed that he is living with a chronic health condition, but he insisted he felt "good" heading into the week’s competition.
Nevertheless, his physical frailties were evident in both of his first‑round matches, echoing comments he made after his triumph over Nuno Borges, where he admitted he "struggled a little bit to stay fresh." On Friday, after securing the win, he reflected, "I had to play very well and serve well at the right moments. Bu was solid and I found it hard to locate any real weaknesses in his game. He was hitting his spots incredibly well with the serve and varied the rallies from the back of the court with short slices that forced me to come in." The match began with Bu taking an aggressive stance, pushing Djokovic to save three break points at 3-3 in the first set.
Djokovic managed to hold his nerve, but a mistimed one‑handed backhand that sailed beyond the baseline handed Bu a break point, and the Chinese player soon capitalised. The two competitors traded blows for roughly an hour, with neither able to break the other's rhythm. In the second‑set tiebreak, Djokovic summoned an extra burst of energy, edging the tiebreak 7-2 and forcing a decisive third set, even though he appeared visibly fatigued and required on‑court treatment for a side issue.
Once the final set commenced, Djokovic seized the initiative, racing to a 4-0 lead and never looking back. He eventually sealed the encounter, earning a quarter‑final berth against the winner of the Alexander Zverev versus Juncheng Shang clash. Other notable results from Beijing included Daniil Medvedev advancing to a second‑round showdown with Jan‑Lennard Struff after a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Pablo Carreno‑Busta, while Karen Khachanov dispatched Alex Molcan 7-5, 6-3.
At the Kinoshita Group Japan Open, Artur Fils overcame Frances Tiafoe 6-3, 7-5 to move into the quarter‑finals. On the women’s side, world No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka launched her China Open campaign with a dominant 6-1, 6-3 win over world No.
94 Renata Zarazua, completing the match in just over an hour. Sabalenka unleashed powerful groundstrokes early, racing to a 3-0 lead, then broke Zarazua again to go up 5-1 before serving out the first set.
She maintained her aggressive posture in the second set, breaking once more within the opening three games and closing the match with a final break, setting up a contest with world No. 34 Nikola Bartunkova.
Four‑time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka endured a tougher path, needing three sets to dispatch Maria Timofeeva 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Osaka admitted the match was "really tough" and noted it was her first competitive outing since New York, making it "a little difficult getting my bearings." After a comfortable first set, Osaka’s rhythm dipped in the second, allowing Timofeeva to claw back from a break down to level the match at one set all. Osaka, however, found a second wind in the decider, winning five consecutive games to clinch the tie and set up a future encounter with 20th seed Sara Bejlek. British player Harriet Boulter suffered a second‑round loss to world No.
8 Karolina Muchova, falling 7-6 (7-3), 6-1. The defeat continued a pattern for Boulter, who has now lost all three of her meetings with Muchova this season, most recently at the US Open. Muchova praised Boulter’s effort, saying, "It was a very close match; we’ve played a few times this year.
Boulter played great, served well and hit the ball cleanly. It was really just a few points difference in the first set." Boulter had started strongly, racing to a 4-1 lead in the opening set, but Muchova rallied, breaking to level at 4-4. The pair exchanged high‑quality groundstrokes, with Muchova producing spectacular winners and even a daring drop‑shot pirouette that heightened the tension.
After a tightly contested tiebreak, Muchova seized the first set and then accelerated, breaking Boulter twice in the second set to secure a place in the third round against world No. 39 Liudmila Samsonova. These matches underscore the physical and mental challenges that top players face on the demanding Beijing courts, where lingering injuries, chronic conditions, and the pressure of a packed schedule can test even the most seasoned competitors.
Djokovic’s ability to rally despite evident fatigue highlights his resilience and tactical acumen, while the performances of Sabalenka, Osaka, and Muchova demonstrate the depth of talent in both the ATP and WTA draws. As the tournament progresses, fans can anticipate further high‑stakes battles, with the quarter‑finals promising marquee matchups that could shape the remainder of the season for many of the world’s elite tennis stars.