BEIJING (AP) — Novak Djokovic won his seventh China Open title on Tuesday when Alex de Minaur retired due to injury during the final. Both players had requested medical timeouts after the first set, with De Minaur struggling with a groin issue before retiring after winning the opening game of the second set. Djokovic had taken the first set 7-6 (3) and led 0-1 in the second when De Minaur withdrew.
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Djokovic's victory extends his perfect record at the China Open to 34-0. "I always have high expectations of myself and always want to visualize myself with the trophy, particularly here in Beijing, a place where I have never lost," Djokovic said. He returned to Beijing for the first time since winning his last title there in 2015.
This title marks Djokovic's 102nd overall on the ATP tour, putting him one behind Roger Federer and Jimmy Connors, who leads with 109 titles in the Open era. Djokovic had previously faced Carlos Alcaraz in his only final this year, losing at the Australian Open.
"This year has been quite challenging for me: lots of physical and health issues," Djokovic said. "I was just trying to find a good feeling on the court. I know that I’m feeling well and striking the ball well, I can compete at the highest level. This week has been evidence of that."
During the tournament, Djokovic defeated three top-10 players for the first time in three years, including U.S. Open champion Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals and Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals, who was disqualified after hitting a spectator with the ball.
In the women's tournament, Nikola Bartunkova, ranked 34th, achieved a surprise victory against the second-ranked Aryna Sabalenka and then defeated Sinja Kraus 6-0, 4-6, 6-3 in the round of 16. Additionally, fifth-seeded Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova was upset by 19th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova with a score of 6-2, 6-2, while seventh-seeded Karolina Muchova overcame 12th-seeded Naomi Osaka 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (7).