Novak Djokovic once again showed the signs of an ongoing physical struggle on Friday at the China Open, yet he managed to reverse a difficult start and stave off a second‑round defeat at the hands of Chinese wildcard Yunchaokete Bu, who is ranked No. 104 in the world. The Serbian entered the match trailing 0-1 in the first set, and the contest soon escalated to a second‑set tiebreak. In the decisive third set, Djokovic summoned his trademark resilience, turning the tide to win 4-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 and extending his unbeaten run at the Beijing tournament to an impressive 31 matches.
Earlier in August, Djokovic disclosed that he is living with a lingering health condition, but he insisted he felt "good" ahead of this week’s event. Despite those assurances, both of his opening matches in Beijing displayed moments where his stamina appeared compromised.
After his win over Portugal’s Nuno Borges, he admitted he "struggled a little bit to stay fresh" and had to fight to keep his level high. The same theme resurfaced against Bu, as the Serbian champion required on‑court treatment for a side issue and repeatedly mentioned the need to serve well at the right moments. "I had to play very well and serve well in the right moments," Djokovic explained after the victory.
"Bu was solid throughout, and I found it hard to locate any obvious weaknesses in his game. He hit his spots with his serve, mixed up his shots from the baseline with short slices, and forced me to come forward more often than I’d like." Bu started the match aggressively, applying pressure that forced Djokovic to save three break points at 3‑3 in the opening set.
The Serbian’s one‑handed backhand slipped beyond the baseline on a crucial point, handing Bu a break. The two players then traded blows for the next hour, with neither able to break away. In the second set, Djokovic raised his intensity in the tiebreak, edging it 7‑2 and pushing the match into a deciding set, even as he looked visibly fatigued and needed a brief medical timeout on the side of the court.
The third set belonged to Djokovic. He surged ahead to a 4‑0 lead, showcasing his superior fitness and experience, before closing out the match comfortably.
His win sets up a quarter‑final clash with the victor of the Alexander Zverev versus Juncheng Shang encounter. Other Beijing action included Daniil Medvedev securing a second‑round meeting with Jan‑Lennard Struff after dispatching Pablo Carreno‑Busta 6‑4, 6‑2, while Karen Khachanov overcame Alex Molcán 7‑5, 6‑3. At the Kinoshita Group Japan Open, Artur Fils defeated Frances Tiafoe 6‑3, 7‑5 to reach the quarter‑finals. On the women’s side, world No.
2 Aryna Sabalenka launched her China Open campaign with a commanding 6‑1, 6‑3 triumph over world No. 94 Renata Zarazua. Sabalenka’s powerful groundstrokes produced a quick 3‑0 lead, and she broke Zarazua again to go up 5‑1 before serving out the first set.
She maintained her momentum in the second, breaking early and sealing the match with another break, earning a next‑round meeting with world No. 34 Nikola Bartunkova.
Four‑time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka endured a tougher path, needing three sets to defeat Maria Timofeeva. Osaka captured the first set 6‑3, but Timofeeva rallied in the second, breaking early and winning five consecutive games to level the match at one set all.
Osaka’s experience shone through in the decider, where she won five straight games to close out the contest 6‑3, 3‑6, 6‑3 and set up a tie with 20th seed Sara Bejlek. Osaka reflected on the challenge, noting, "It was really tough. It was my first match since New York, so it was a little difficult getting my bearings. She's a great player, and I think it was a great match." British contender Katie Boulter was eliminated after a 7‑6 (7‑3), 6‑1 loss to world No.
8 Karolina Muchova. This marked Boulter’s third defeat to Muchova this season, the most recent occurring at the US Open. Muchova praised Boulter’s effort, saying, "It was a very close match; we've played a few times this year.
This was a really tough battle. Boulter played great. She served really well and was hitting the ball very clean. It was really just a few points difference in the first set." Boulter had started strongly, racing to a 4‑1 lead, but Muchova fought back, breaking to level at 4‑4.
The pair exchanged high‑quality groundstrokes, with Muchova producing a spectacular drop‑shot pirouette that forced a tense tiebreak. The Czech ultimately claimed the opening set, then accelerated in the second, breaking Boulter twice to secure a place in the third round against world No.
39 Liudmila Samsonova. Fans can follow the ongoing action across multiple platforms, including live streams on NOW, the Sky Sports app, and other broadcasters covering the ATP Japan Open, the WTA/ATP China Open, and the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters. The tournament continues to deliver high‑stakes tennis, dramatic comebacks, and a showcase of both seasoned champions and emerging talents battling for supremacy on the Beijing hard courts.