Djokovic wins seventh China Open title as De Minaur retires; Alcaraz retains Tokyo crown

Novak Djokovic won the China Open in Beijing after his opponent in the final, Alex de Minaur, retired injured. Djokovic won the first set on a tie-break. De Minaur retired after one game of the second set.

It is Djokovic's seventh China Open title. He has never lost a match at the tournament. The title is the 102nd tour-level title of his career. He has now won at least one singles title in each of the past 21 years.

Both players took a medical timeout after the first set. The BBC reported an apparent left thigh problem for De Minaur, while Reuters reported a groin injury. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe why Djokovic took a timeout. According to the BBC, the first set lasted 68 minutes and Djokovic won the tie-break 7-3.

Djokovic beat Alexander Zverev on his way to the final. His semi-final opponent, Daniil Medvedev, was disqualified. According to the BBC, Djokovic was a set and a break up when Medvedev was defaulted. The reports do not describe the circumstances. According to The Guardian, De Minaur reached the final after Hubert Hurkacz retired injured.

According to the BBC, Djokovic is the oldest man to win an ATP Tour-level title since Ken Rosewall in 1977. The BBC also reports that only Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103) have won more singles titles, and that the result will return Djokovic to the world's top 10. Djokovic lost in the first round of the US Open this year.

In Tokyo, Carlos Alcaraz beat Jiri Lehecka of the Czech Republic 7-6, 6-4 to defend his Japan Open title. It was only his third tournament since returning from a wrist injury. According to The Guardian, he was out of competition for four and a half months.

Separately, Jannik Sinner will not compete again in the 2026 season. A statement from his team, quoted by The Guardian, said he will receive treatment for inflammation in his knee.

What is disputed

The BBC describes an apparent left thigh problem for De Minaur, and The Guardian reports he returned to court with strapping on his left thigh. Reuters reports a groin injury. The BBC calls the Beijing win Djokovic's first title in just over a year; The Guardian says nearly a year.

What each side says

The BBC quoted Djokovic as saying: "This year has been quite challenging for me, lots of ups and downs and physical and health issues." He added: "I know that when I'm feeling well and striking the ball well I can still compete at the highest level."

In an on-court interview, according to The Guardian, De Minaur said: "I want to say sorry to all the amazing fans that came to watch this match. I didn’t want to finish like this."

Alcaraz told Sky Sports, according to The Guardian: "It was a tough week that I didn’t find my best tennis, my best level, but I did find the good solutions."

Analysis

The two results show established players returning to winning form after difficult periods. Djokovic has spoken of physical and health issues this year, and the BBC reports he has limited his schedule. How his body responds to further events remains uncertain. Alcaraz's title came in only his third tournament after a wrist injury. With Sinner out for the rest of 2026, according to his team, the remaining season may look different for the top players. The reports do not give an update on De Minaur's injury, so his availability for upcoming events is unclear.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.