Novak Djokovic has landed his first win since Wimbledon at the China Open, defeating Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-3 7-6 (7-2) in Beijing on Wednesday. The victory extends his unbeaten record at the tournament to 30 consecutive wins, and it comes 11 years after his last appearance in the Chinese capital.
Djokovic, 39, arrived in Beijing with two opening-round exits behind him: a loss at the US Open followed by an early exit at the ATP Masters 1000 event in Cincinnati. He needed a result, and he got it in the second round against Borges.
Djokovic’s Record in Beijing
Beijing holds a special place in Djokovic’s history. He has won the tournament six times, and his record here is 30-0. That means he has never lost a match in the city, at least not in terms of wins recorded.
The last time he played in Beijing was 11 years ago. Djokovic has made the tournament his own, and his record reflects that.
Wednesday’s win was not without drama. Djokovic received a medical timeout in the second set, which put the match in jeopardy for a moment. But he steadied himself, saw out his next two service games to love, and played some of his best tennis of the match.
The Borges Match
The match itself was tight. There was only one break of serve during the contest, and it came courtesy of Djokovic in Borges’ first service game.
In the second set, Borges started playing better while Djokovic struggled physically. The star admitted as much after the match, saying he had to dig deep to hold off the Portuguese player.
“I struggled a little bit physically to stay fresh,” Djokovic said. “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.”
The tie-break was decisive. Djokovic raced ahead and racked up four match points, needing only one as Borges found the net.
The Physio Timeout
The timeout came at 3-2 down in the second set. Djokovic was treated by the physio, but he did not appear to be hindered by the issue. He saw out his next two service games to love and played some of his best tennis of the match.
Annabel Croft, the commentator for Sky Sports Tennis, noted the physical toll of the match. “Djokovic managed to find a way towards that finishing line and actually his service games became more and more efficient,” she said. “So much of what we talked about in commentary was the physicality of the match and how uncomfortable Djokovic felt.”
What Comes Next
Djokovic’s reward for the win is a second-round clash against home favourite Buyunchaokete Bu. Bu defeated Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2 5-7 6-4 to reach the next stage.
The match pits Djokovic against a player who has the support of the local crowd. That will add another layer of difficulty to an already demanding schedule.
Here is how the tournament stands at this stage:
| Round | Player | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Second Round | Buyunchaokete Bu | Defeated Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2 5-7 6-4 |
The Women’s Side
While Djokovic’s win dominated the headlines, the women’s draw also produced notable results on Wednesday. Katie Boulter opened her campaign with a 6-3 6-4 victory against Japanese qualifier Mai Hontama.
Boulter, the British No 1, will now face seventh seed and Wimbledon runner-up Karolina Muchova in her next match. This will mark a third career meeting between the pair, and it is their second encounter this year following Muchova’s straight-sets victory over Boulter in the second round of the US Open.
Karen Khachanov, a US Open semi-finalist, continued his recent dominance of Felix Auger-Aliassime with a 6-3 6-3 win.
The Challenge Ahead
The next match against Buyunchaokete Bu will test whether Djokovic can maintain his level against a player who has home advantage. The crowd will be behind Bu, and Djokovic will need to bring his best tennis to overcome that challenge.
What is clear is that Djokovic has answered the question of whether he can still perform at the highest level. He has landed his first victory since Wimbledon, and he has done it in a tournament where he has been unbeaten for over a decade.
The record stands at 30-0, and it shows no sign of slowing down.
Source material: “Djokovic lands first win since Wimbledon at China Open,” Sky Sports.
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