Djokovic wins seventh Beijing title as injured de Minaur retires
Novak Djokovic won his seventh China Open title on Tuesday when Alex de Minaur got hurt and quit early in the second set of the Beijing final. Djokovic had won the first set 7-6 (3), and the title is the 102nd of his career, one behind Roger Federer. In Tokyo, Carlos Alcaraz beat Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (4), 6-4 to keep his Japan Open crown.
Novak Djokovic won the China Open for a seventh time on Tuesday. Alex de Minaur retired hurt early in the second set of the Beijing final, the ATP said.
Djokovic won a tight first set 7-6 (3). Then both players called for the physio. De Minaur left the court for treatment, came back, won the first game of the second set and quit. The ATP and ESPN said he hurt his groin. BBC Sport called it a left thigh problem.
De Minaur, ranked No. 9, played the bolder tennis early. He hit 11 winners to Djokovic's three and saved two break points, but errors cost him the tiebreak, ESPN reported. He was chasing his first Beijing title and his second title of the year, after Rotterdam in February.
The win is the 102nd tour-level title of Djokovic's career. That puts him one behind Roger Federer, with 103. Only Jimmy Connors, with 109, has more in the Open Era, the ATP said. Djokovic, 39, is now 34-0 at the China Open. BBC Sport said it is the 21st year in a row he has won at least one title.
It was only his second final of 2026. He lost the first, at the Australian Open in January, to Carlos Alcaraz.
The final came a day after a strange semifinal. Daniil Medvedev was defaulted on Monday while trailing Djokovic 7-5, 5-3, after a ball he hit in anger struck a fan in the face. Djokovic knows that rule well. He was defaulted from the 2020 US Open after a ball he hit struck a line judge. De Minaur reached the final when Hubert Hurkacz retired hurt in their semifinal.
In Tokyo, Alcaraz beat Jiri Lehecka 7-6 (4), 6-4 to keep his Japan Open title. He came back from losing his serve in the first game, the ATP said. It was his third title of the season, after the Australian Open and Qatar. He hurt his wrist in April and only came back at the US Open in August. "It's extra special after my injury," he said, according to BBC Sport. The ATP said he is just the third man to defend the Tokyo title, after Stefan Edberg and Pete Sampras.
Tennis Channel has the Beijing final on demand as a replay, according to Tennis.com.
What we know: Djokovic won the title when de Minaur retired.
What we don't: How serious de Minaur's injury is.
Where outlets agree ATP Tour, ESPN and BBC Sport all report that Djokovic won the first set 7-6 (3) and took the title when de Minaur retired early in the second set.
Where they differ The ATP and ESPN say de Minaur hurt his groin, while BBC Sport describes an apparent left thigh problem.