Djokovic wins seventh Beijing title and 102nd career crown after injured de Minaur retires, confirms Shanghai

Novak Djokovic is a China Open champion once again. The 39-year-old Serbian won his seventh Beijing title on Tuesday (6 October) when Alex de Minaur retired with a groin problem early in the second set of the final, after Djokovic had taken the opening set 7-6 (3).

The title is the 102nd of Djokovic's tour-level career and keeps his remarkable record in the Chinese capital spotless at 34 wins from 34 matches. Within hours of lifting the trophy, he also settled the question of what comes next: he plans to play the Shanghai Masters, which starts its main draw this week.

A final cut short by injury

The opening set was tight. De Minaur, who has built his career on speed and defence, dug in on serve and saved several break points before the set went to a tiebreak. There, a run of errors from the Australian handed Djokovic the set, 7-6 (3).

Shortly after the second set began, de Minaur received treatment for what was described as a groin injury and then decided he could not continue. It was an anticlimactic end to a week that had been anything but quiet in Beijing.

Djokovic did not have to win match point in either of his last two matches. In the semi-finals, Daniil Medvedev was defaulted while Djokovic was serving for the match, and the final ended with a retirement. Earlier in the week, though, he had to earn it, beating top seed Alexander Zverev in the quarter-finals.

The numbers behind title No. 102

According to the ATP, the win makes Djokovic the first man to win tour-level titles in 21 consecutive seasons. It also puts him one behind Roger Federer's 103 titles, with only Jimmy Connors (109) further ahead in the Open Era. Seventy-three of his 102 titles have come on hard courts, the most of any player.

It was also his first visit to Beijing since 2015, and the gap made no difference. Six previous titles at the National Tennis Center had already made it one of his most successful venues, and he has still never lost a match there.

His serve was not at its sharpest in the final, with Tennis Majors noting he landed only 54 per cent of first serves. But Djokovic described the tournament as one of his best weeks in the last couple of years.

Rankings boost and Shanghai decision

Djokovic arrived in Beijing at No. 11 in the live rankings. The title is expected to lift him back into the top 10, a significant boost with the season-ending events approaching.

He had kept his Shanghai plans open during the week, saying he would see how he felt. After the final he confirmed he intends to play, calling the Beijing run a confidence booster and proof he can still compete at the highest level.

As a seed, he has a first-round bye in Shanghai. His opening match will be against the winner of Hubert Hurkacz and James Duckworth, and Lorenzo Musetti is a likely next opponent. Further down the line, his path could include Frances Tiafoe, Ben Shelton and top seed Zverev. Djokovic last won the Shanghai title in 2018 and reached the final in 2024.

What it means for fans in Malaysia

Shanghai is in the same time zone as Malaysia, so every match time listed on the order of play is also Malaysian time, with no early-morning alarms needed. The main draw runs from 7 to 18 October, with Jannik Sinner absent after withdrawing and Carlos Alcaraz seeded second.

For de Minaur, the focus now turns to how quickly the injury settles. He had reached the final in good form, and his status for Shanghai will be closely watched.

Key takeaways

• Djokovic won the China Open final 7-6 (3), ret. after de Minaur stopped with a groin injury early in the second set.
• It is his 102nd tour-level title, his seventh in Beijing, and he is now 34-0 at the event.
• He is the first man to win titles in 21 consecutive seasons and is one behind Federer's 103.
• Djokovic has confirmed he will play Shanghai, where he has a bye and opens against Hurkacz or Duckworth.

FAQ

How did Djokovic win the 2026 China Open final? He won the first set 7-6 (3) and then Alex de Minaur retired early in the second set with a groin injury.

How many titles does Novak Djokovic have now? He has 102 tour-level titles, one fewer than Roger Federer's 103 and seven fewer than Jimmy Connors' Open Era record of 109.

Is Djokovic playing the Shanghai Masters? Yes. He confirmed after the Beijing final that he plans to play. He has a first-round bye and will face Hubert Hurkacz or James Duckworth in his first match.

Sources: ATP Tour, Tennis Majors, ESPN, Sky Sports, AOL, Perfect Tennis