Novak Djokovic Makes Tennis Comeback at China Open

Novak Djokovic returned to competitive tennis at the China Open on Wednesday, September 30, following his first-round loss to Mariano Navone at the US Open last month. The 39-year-old Serbian defeated Portugal’s Nuno Borges 6-3, 7-6(2) in Beijing.

The victory extended Djokovic’s unbeaten record at the China Open to 30-0. He had not played at the Beijing tournament since 2015, when he won the title for the sixth time.

Djokovic entered the China Open after dealing with shoulder and back problems during his US Open defeat on August 30. He also vomited during that match, raising questions about his physical condition ahead of his return.

Before the tournament, Djokovic said he was encouraged by how his body was responding during practice. “Yeah, feeling good so far,” he told reporters on Monday, while acknowledging that an official match would provide a different test from practice sessions.

Against Borges, Djokovic took control early and won the opening set 6-3. Borges offered greater resistance in the second set, but Djokovic held firm in the tiebreak to close out the match in straight sets.

Djokovic had won the China Open in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 before returning to Beijing this year. His six titles and previous 29-0 record made the tournament one of the most successful stops on his schedule.

The Serbian is also seeking a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title and has become more selective about his tournament schedule in recent years. He said Beijing was on his priority list this season after years of scheduling conflicts.

Djokovic will face Chinese wild card Yunchaokete Bu in the second round. Bu advanced after defeating Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo 6-2, 5-7, 6-4.

The China Open is Djokovic’s first tournament appearance since his US Open exit and his first appearance in Beijing since 2015. His opening victory means he remains unbeaten at the event.