Djokovic Clinches Seventh China Open Title After De Minaur Withdraws Injured in Final

Djokovic Awarded China Open Trophy Following De Minaur's Injury Retirement

Novak Djokovic claimed the China Open trophy after Alex de Minaur was forced to retire due to injury during their final match on Tuesday in Beijing. Both competitors took medical timeouts following the first set, with De Minaur eventually withdrawing after the opening game of the second set because of a groin injury.

The 39-year-old Djokovic secured a 7-6 (3), 0-1 victory, maintaining his flawless record at this tournament, now standing at 34 wins without a loss.

Djokovic Reflects on His Performance and Record

"I always have high expectations of myself and picture holding the trophy, especially here in Beijing where I've never been defeated," Djokovic said. "But I know things are different these days."

This marked Djokovic's return to Beijing since his last title there in 2015. The triumph represented his seventh China Open championship and his 102nd ATP tour victory, placing him just one title behind Roger Federer. Jimmy Connors holds the Open era record with 109 titles.

Challenges Faced This Year

"This year has been tough with many physical and health issues," Djokovic admitted. "I was focused on finding good rhythm on court. When I feel good and connect well with my shots, I know I can compete at the top level. This week showed that."

Notably, Djokovic defeated three top-10 players during this tournament for the first time in three years. His run included victories over U.S. Open champion Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals and Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals, the latter match ending early when Medvedev was disqualified after accidentally hitting a spectator with a ball.

De Minaur's Strong Start and Injury Setback

Ranked No. 9, Alex de Minaur kept Djokovic, ranked No. 11, on the defensive with aggressive groundstrokes throughout the first set, saving two break points. Yet unforced errors ultimately cost him the tiebreak. De Minaur hit 11 winners compared to Djokovic's three.

"I want to apologize to all the amazing fans who came out for this match. I didn’t want it to end like this," De Minaur said regretfully.

De Minaur reached the final after Hubert Hurkacz retired injured during their semifinal second set. He was aiming for his first China Open title and his second tournament win this year, having previously triumphed in Rotterdam back in February.

Women's Tournament Updates

• Nikola Bartunkova, ranked 34th, advanced to the quarterfinals by defeating Sinja Kraus 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 after upsetting second seed Aryna Sabalenka in straight sets earlier.
• Fifth-seeded Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova was upset by 19th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova with a 6-2, 6-2 scoreline.
• Seventh seed Karolina Muchova overcame a tough match to eliminate 12th-seeded Naomi Osaka 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7).