39-Year-Old Novak Djokovic Wins 102nd Career Title in Beijing

At 39, Novak Djokovic won his 102nd career title and his seventh China Open title after Alex de Minaur retired in the second set with a groin injury.

The 7–6(3), 0–1 victory in Beijing on Oct. 6 is the Serb’s first title of the year—at a tournament he has not played in for 11 years.

“This year has been quite challenging for me … lots of physical and health issues. So I was just trying to find a good feeling on the court … I know that if I’m feeling well and striking the ball well, I can compete at the highest level. This week has been evidence of that,” he said during the trophy ceremony.

Djokovic improves to a 4–1 head-to-head record against the Australian. 

He moved past Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals after the Russian was disqualified for hitting a ball into the crowd and striking a spectator, as Djokovic was serving for the match in the second set.

Djokovic also beat the first-seeded Alexander Zverev in a three-set quarterfinal match.      

The 24-time Grand Slam winner has had an up-and-down season. In January, he won a five-set thriller against Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open semifinals before losing to Carlos Alcaraz in a four-set final.

However, he’s since withdrawn from most Masters 1000 tournaments this season and suffered early exits at Roland Garros and the US Open. He entered Beijing having made the quarterfinals only once since his run in Melbourne.

“I always have high expectations of myself and always want to visualize myself with the trophy, particularly here in Beijing, a place where I have never lost,” Djokovic said after the final.

“But I was also quite aware that reality is a little bit different these days.”

After the match, Djokovic moved to 8th in the live ATP rankings, surpassing de Minaur.

He needs to finish in the top eight to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin, though he withdrew from that tournament the past couple of years despite qualifying.

The same day, Alcaraz won the Japan Open in Tokyo—the other ATP 500 tournament and Alcaraz’s first title since returning from a wrist injury that sidelined him for four months.

The two-set victory over Lehecka is the world No. 3’s first title since February.

Both he and Djokovic entered the Shanghai Open a few days later, where Djokovic lost a two-set match in the second round.