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 star continued his remarkable streak at the event, pushing his run of consecutive wins at the China Open to an impressive thirty matches after a straight‑sets triumph on Wednesday.
A seasoned six‑time champion in Beijing, Djokovic faced Portugal's rising talent Nuno Borges in the opening round. Despite needing a medical timeout early in the second set, the world‑class player managed to pull ahead, ultimately prevailing 6‑3, 7‑6 (7‑2) and booking his place in the tournament's second round. The brief interruption came when Djokovic appeared to be struggling physically, but he quickly regained composure and used his powerful serve to dominate the remainder of the match.
Looking ahead, Djokovic's next opponent will be the local favorite Buyunchaokete Bu, who earned his spot by defeating Argentina's Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6‑2, 5‑7, 6‑4. Bu's gritty performance against a higher‑ranked adversary suggests he could present a challenging test for the Serbian veteran. "In the second set he started playing better and I struggled a little bit physically to stay fresh," Djokovic explained after his win.
He had arrived in Beijing after disappointing early exits at both the US Open and the ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati, making this victory a much‑needed confidence boost. "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," he added, emphasizing the importance of his high first‑serve percentage in controlling the match. The 39‑year‑old was attended to by the team's physiotherapist when he fell behind 3‑2 in the second set, yet the treatment did not appear to hamper his performance. Djokovic proceeded to win his next two service games without dropping a point, showcasing some of the finest tennis of his career despite the physical discomfort he mentioned.
Throughout the encounter there was only a single service break – Djokovic seized it early in Borges' opening service game, establishing a lead that he would never relinquish. In the decisive tie‑break, Djokovic surged ahead, creating four match points in quick succession. Borges managed to rescue one of those points by reaching the net, but Djokovic needed only one to seal the victory.
Commentator Annabel Croft, speaking to Sky Sports Tennis, described the contest as "really competitive" toward its conclusion. She noted that Djokovic's service games grew increasingly efficient as the match progressed, and highlighted the physical aspect of the encounter, observing that the Serbian champion appeared uncomfortable at times but ultimately found a way to cross the finish line.
In addition to the men's draw, the women's side of the tournament also produced noteworthy results. British No.1 Katie Boulter kicked off her Beijing campaign with a solid 6‑3, 6‑4 win over Japanese qualifier Mai Hontama. Boulter's victory sets up a clash with seventh seed and Wimbledon runner‑up Karolina Muchova, marking the third career meeting between the two players and their second encounter of the year after Muchova defeated Boulter in straight sets during the second round of the US Open.
On the ATP side, former US Open semifinalist Karen Khachanov continued his recent dominance over top‑ranked opponent Felix Auger‑Aliassime, dispatching him 6‑3, 6‑3 in a match that underscored Khachanov's powerful baseline game and tactical acumen. Fans looking to follow the action can stream the China Open and the concurrent ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters without a contract via NOW or the Sky Sports app, which provides live coverage of both the WTA and ATP events. The tournament, held in one of the sport's most vibrant Asian venues, continues to attract a blend of seasoned champions and emerging talents, promising thrilling tennis throughout the week. Overall, Djokovic's win not only extends his personal record at the China Open but also signals a potential resurgence as he seeks to regain his dominant form after a challenging start to the season.
His ability to overcome a brief physical setback, maintain a high first‑serve percentage, and close out a tight tie‑break demonstrates why he remains a formidable competitor on the tour. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on his upcoming match against Bu, as well as the performances of other top seeds aiming to make deep runs in Beijing.