Ernest Osogbue
In what has been a most turbulent year in his tennis career, former world number one, Novak Djokovic defied the odds to win his career 102nd title, and 7th title at the China Open in Beijing.
Djokovic who has six previous China Open titles, maintained his unbeaten run at the championship, to make it 34 matches in Beijing without a loss. He thus surpasses Monica Seles, who has a 33-0 record at the Australian Open, and Rafael Nadal, who has a 31-0 record at the French Open.
It has been a turbulent year for Djokovic, after losing the finals of the Australian Open to Carlos Alcaraz, he was beaten in the 3rd round of the French Open, before losing to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi final. He was then knocked out of the US Open first round by a qualifier.
At the age of 39, the China Open title remains a milestone in Djokovic’s career, after defeating Sasha Zverev in the quarter finals, Daniil Medvedev was defaulted in the semi final, with Djokovic leading 7/5, 5/3. In the final, Alex de Minaur was trailing 6/7, 1/0, when he retired, due to a left thigh injury, to hand Djokovic his biggest win so far, in 2026.
