Djokovic Extends China Open Streak with Win Over Borges

Novak Djokovic secured his first victory since Wimbledon with a straight-sets win over Nuno Borges at the China Open, extending his unbeaten record at the tournament to 30 consecutive matches. The 39-year-old Serbian, a six-time champion in Beijing, returned to the event for the first time since 2015 and defeated the Portuguese player 6-3, 7-6(2) on Wednesday 30 September 2026.

Djokovic's career record at the China Open now stands at a perfect 30-0, having dropped only three sets across those matches. The match lasted one hour and fifty minutes and featured just one break of serve, secured by Djokovic in Borges's opening service game. The former world number one hit 16 winners and faced no break points throughout the contest, winning 76% of his service points. He raced ahead in the second-set tie-break, swiftly earning four match points before Borges found the net on the decisive point. The win prevented a potential fourth consecutive loss, a streak Djokovic has only experienced once before in his career.

Physical struggle prompts medical timeout amid resilient performance

Despite the straight-sets scoreline, Djokovic's performance was not without physical difficulty. He required a medical timeout for back treatment while trailing 3-2 in the second set. He looked out of breath and was frequently seen crouching over after extended rallies. Earlier in the season, he had mentioned an unspecified issue that worsens in warm conditions. "When I struggled a bit physically in the second set, I really needed that serve," Djokovic said afterwards, highlighting the importance of his service game during the challenging phase.

Setting up a challenging second-round clash with rising Chinese talent

Djokovic's next opponent is Chinese home favourite Bu Yunchaokete, who advanced by defeating Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2, 5-7, 6-4. The rising talent has shown strong recent form, having qualified for the US Open main draw earlier in the month and reaching the quarter-finals of an ATP 250 tournament in Hangzhou the previous week. Djokovic acknowledged the unique challenge ahead, stating, "Playing a Chinese player in China is definitely not fun." The second-round clash will test Djokovic's resilience against an inspired local opponent.

Djokovic's historic dominance at the China Open includes victories in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Nine of his 30 wins in Beijing have come against top-10 opponents. He will play Bu Yunchaokete in the second round of the China Open.