Tennis great Novak Djokovic has won the China Open for a record seventh time, claiming the 102nd title of his career after Alex de Minaur retired injured during Tuesday’s final.
Djokovic won the opening set 7-6 (7-3) before De Minaur retired after the Australian won the first game of the second set with a left adductor strain.
The victory extended Djokovic’s unbeaten record in Beijing to 34 matches and earned him his first China Open title since 2015.
The 39-year-old Serbian attributed his success to his “never-die spirit”, saying his determination and dedication had helped him remain competitive throughout more than two decades as a professional.
“The grit and the dedication and the kind of never-die spirit that really is always with me” have carried him through, Djokovic said after the match.
He described tennis as a demanding sport because of its year-round knockout format and the pressure of performing before large crowds.
“You can feel so much weight on your shoulders, but it is what I have been destined to do,” he said.
The first set lasted more than an hour in a physical contest, with both players requiring medical timeouts before De Minaur ended the match.
The Australian, ranked ninth in the world, returned to the court with his left thigh wrapped before retiring.
“I don’t feel great,” De Minaur told the crowd. “I want to say sorry to the amazing fans that came to watch… I didn’t want to finish like this.”
Djokovic acknowledged the physical challenges he has faced during the season, saying he had been trying to regain his best form.
“I was just trying to find the good feeling on the court,” he said.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion reached the final after defeating home favourite Bu Yunchaokete, top seed Alexander Zverev and advancing from a semi-final in which Daniil Medvedev was disqualified for hitting a fan with a ball.
De Minaur reached the final after Hubert Hurkacz retired injured from their semi-final.
The title means Djokovic will finish the season with at least one tournament victory for the 21st consecutive year. He also became the oldest man to win a singles final since Ken Rosewall triumphed in Hong Kong in 1977 at the age of 43.
Muchova Beats Osaka in Beijing Thriller
In the women’s draw, Karolina Muchova defeated former world number one Naomi Osaka in a dramatic three-set match to reach the quarter-finals.
The seventh-seeded Czech overcame 50 unforced errors to beat Osaka 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (9-7) after two hours and 52 minutes.
Osaka saved eight match points before Muchova sealed victory with a winning volley on her ninth opportunity.
“I was shaking. I’m happy I made the last volley… Naomi could be standing here. It’s me, and I’m really grateful for it,” Muchova told the crowd.
She will face compatriot Nikola Bartunkova in the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere, Russia’s Mirra Andreeva defeated Ukraine’s Daria Snigur 6-2, 6-2 to set up a quarter-final against fellow Russian Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Alexandrova, ranked 28th, also advanced after defeating Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova 6-2, 6-2, ending the Czech player’s bid to return to the Beijing final she reached last year.
