Novak Djokovic made his long‑awaited return to the courts of Beijing this week, marking his first appearance in the Chinese capital in eleven years. The Serbian legend continued to build his remarkable streak at the event, notching his 30th straight win at the China Open on Wednesday.
Having already captured the title on six separate occasions, Djokovic entered the match against Portugal’s Nuno Borges with a reputation for dominance in Beijing. After a brief medical timeout in the second set, he rallied to close out the encounter 6‑3, 7‑6 (7‑2), securing a place in the second round of the tournament. His next opponent will be the local crowd‑pleaser Buyunchaokete Bu, who earned his spot by defeating Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerúndolo 6‑2, 5‑7, 6‑4. Reflecting on his performance, Djokovic admitted that the second set presented a physical challenge.
“In the second set he started playing better and I struggled a little bit physically to stay fresh,” he said, referring to Borges’ resurgence. The Serbian had arrived in Beijing after disappointing early exits at the US Open and the ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati, making the win all the more satisfying.
Djokovic highlighted the importance of his service game, noting that a high first‑serve percentage allowed him to dictate play. “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.” At 39 years old, Djokovic faced a brief interruption when his physio attended to him at 3‑2 down in the second set. The treatment did not appear to hinder his performance; he promptly held his next two service games to love and displayed some of the finest tennis of the match.
Throughout the contest there was only a single break of serve – Djokovic’s own break in Borges’ opening service game – underscoring the tight nature of the battle. In the decisive tie‑break, Djokovic surged ahead, creating four match points, though only one was needed as Borges clipped the net with his shot. Commentator Annabel Croft described the contest as “really competitive by the end,” adding that Djokovic’s service games grew increasingly efficient as the match progressed.
She also noted the physical strain the Serbian felt, a recurring theme in the day’s commentary. Beyond the headline match, other players made their mark in Beijing. British No. 1 Katie Boulter opened her campaign with a solid 6‑3, 6‑4 win over Japanese qualifier Mai Hontama, setting up a clash with seventh seed and Wimbledon runner‑up Karolina Muchova.
This will be the third meeting between Boulter and Muchova in their careers and the second this season, after Muchova dispatched Boulter in straight sets during the US Open second round. On the men’s side, former US Open semifinalist Karen Khachanov continued his recent run of form by overpowering Felix Auger‑Aliassime 6‑3, 6‑3, further establishing his presence in the draw. Fans can follow the action live via the NOW platform or the Sky Sports app, which stream both the ATP and WTA events without a contract. The China Open, alongside the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters, offers a showcase of top‑level tennis in the Asian swing of the season, providing players with valuable ranking points and a chance to adapt to the indoor hard‑court conditions before the year‑end championships.
Djokovic’s victory not only extends his personal winning streak at the venue but also signals a potential resurgence after a challenging start to the season. His ability to overcome a mid‑match medical pause, maintain a high first‑serve percentage, and execute under pressure in the tie‑break demonstrates why he remains a formidable contender on the tour. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on the Serbian star to see if he can translate this early momentum into deeper runs, possibly adding another China Open title to his already impressive résumé.