Novak Djokovic once again demonstrated his trademark resilience at the Beijing China Open, battling through lingering fitness concerns to turn a precarious start into a hard‑won three‑set victory over Chinese wildcard Yunchaokete Bu. The Serbian, who entered the match as the world No.
1, fell behind 0‑1 in the opening set and was forced into a tense tiebreak in the second set. Yet he summoned his experience and tenacity, clinching the final set 6‑2 and extending his unbeaten run at the tournament to an impressive 31 matches. Earlier in August, Djokovic had been candid about an ongoing health issue that has been affecting his stamina on court.
He insisted, however, that he felt "good" heading into the week’s competition. The first two rounds in Beijing seemed to confirm his worries, as he admitted after his win over Portugal’s Nuno Borges that he "struggled a little bit to stay fresh". The match against Bu provided another glimpse of those struggles, with the Serbian appearing winded at moments and even calling for treatment on the side of the court during the second set. Despite the physical hurdles, Djokovic emphasized the importance of tactical execution.
"I had to play very well and serve well at the right moments," he reflected after the match. He praised Bu’s solid play, noting that the Chinese challenger was "hitting his spots incredibly well with the serve and mixing things up nicely in the rallies from the back of the court, using short slices that forced me to come in." Those variations made it difficult for Djokovic to find obvious openings, especially in the early stages. Bu started aggressively, pressuring the Serbian with powerful groundstrokes and forcing three break points at 3‑3 in the first set. Djokovic managed to hold his nerve, but a mis‑timed one‑handed backhand that sailed beyond the baseline handed Bu a crucial break point, which the younger player converted to take the opening set 6‑4.
The second set unfolded as a tightly contested battle, with neither player able to break the other's serve. At 6‑6, Djokovic elevated his game in the tiebreak, delivering precise serves and clutch winners that gave him a 7‑2 advantage and the set.
The Serbian’s momentary fatigue was evident, yet his mental fortitude shone through as he refused to let the physical discomfort dictate the outcome. Entering the decisive third set, Djokovic seized the initiative, racing to a 4‑0 lead with a blend of aggressive baseline play and timely net approaches. Bu attempted to rally, but the Serbian’s superior depth and consistency proved too much. Djokovic closed the match with a 6‑2 third set, securing his place in the quarter‑finals where he will meet the winner of the Alexander Zverev versus Juncheng Shang encounter.
The Beijing tournament also featured notable performances from other top players. Daniil Medvedev advanced to a second‑round clash with Jan‑Lennard Struff after dispatching Pablo Carreno‑Busta 6‑4 6‑2, while fellow Russian Karen Khachanov overcame Alex Molcan 7‑5 6‑3. In the Kinoshita Group Japan Open, Artur Fils defeated Frances Tiafoe 6‑3 7‑5 to move into the quarter‑finals. On the women’s side, world No.
2 Aryna Sabalenka opened her China Open campaign emphatically, cruising past world No. 94 Renata Zarazua 6‑1 6‑3 in just over an hour. Sabalenka’s early dominance was built on powerful groundstrokes that quickly produced a 3‑0 lead, followed by a series of breaks that left Zarazua trailing 5‑1 before she served out the first set.
Sabalenka maintained her aggressive posture in the second set, breaking early and sealing the match with another decisive break. She now looks forward to a showdown with world No.
34 Nikola Bartunkova. Four‑time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka faced a stern test against Russia’s Maria Timofeeva, enduring a three‑set battle that stretched to 6‑3 3‑6 6‑3. Osaka admitted the match was "really tough" and noted that it was her first competitive outing since the New York event, making it challenging to find her rhythm. After a comfortable first set, Osaka’s momentum dipped in the second, allowing Timofeeva to claw back a break and win five consecutive games to level the match.
However, Osaka’s experience shone through in the decider, where she surged ahead with five straight games, ultimately securing a place in the next round against 20th seed Sara Bejlek. British qualifier Emily Boulter’s run ended in the second round when she fell 7‑6(7‑3) 6‑1 to world No. 8 Karolina Muchova. This loss marked Boulter’s third defeat to Muchova this season, the most recent occurring at the US Open.
Muchova praised Boulter’s performance, highlighting the close nature of the match and the high‑quality serving and clean ball striking displayed by the Brit. After taking an early 4‑1 lead, Boulter allowed Muchova to recover, with the Czech breaking to equalize at 4‑4. The pair exchanged powerful groundstrokes, and Muchova’s occasional drop shots added variety, ultimately leading her to win the first‑set tiebreak and then dominate the second set with two breaks, booking a third‑round encounter with world No. 39 Liudmila Samsonova.
Overall, the China Open continues to deliver compelling storylines, from Djokovic’s gritty comeback despite fitness setbacks to emerging talents challenging established stars. Fans can follow the action live via NOW, the Sky Sports app, or other streaming platforms that broadcast the ATP Japan Open, WTA/ATP China Open, and the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters.