Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic secured a hard-fought victory in the first round of the China Open on Wednesday, beating Portugal's Nuno Borges 6-3, 7-6 (7/2). The 39-year-old Djokovic, a six-time champion in Beijing, extended his unbeaten streak in the city to 31 matches, although this was his first match at the event since 2015. The win marked his first victory at any tournament since Wimbledon in July.
Djokovic struggled physically during the match, using his racquet to stretch his back between games and needing a medical timeout as a trainer worked on his right shoulder. Despite the challenges, he managed to save two break points after a pair of double-faults to win the first set. The match ended in one hour and 50 minutes, with Borges returning into the net to clinch the victory.
The win delighted the packed crowd in Beijing, who were eager to watch the former world number one in action. Djokovic expressed his satisfaction with the conditions and atmosphere in Beijing, stating that they suit his game. He also acknowledged that he is a different player now than he was 11 years ago when he last played in the city.
Djokovic's next opponent will be wildcard Bu Yunchaokete of China in the second round. The Chinese player will look to cause an upset against the experienced Serbian. In other matches, Karen Khachanov swept aside second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 in their first-round meeting. Khachanov won three straight games to take the first set in 31 minutes.
Khachanov, the world number 26, kept his cool to break Auger-Aliassime on the first match point, wrapping things up in one hour and 11 minutes. He faces either Arthur Rinderknech of France or qualifier Alex Molcan of Slovakia in the round of 16. Khachanov recently triumphed at the US Open and is seeking to build on that momentum.
World number two Alexander Zverev, fresh off a US Open win and the top seed in Beijing, was scheduled to start his bid against Cameron Norrie in the first round on Thursday. Zverev stated that his focus was on preparing himself to play good tennis, saying that everything else would fall into place. He is also mindful of the battle for the world number one ranking.
A 1000-level WTA event is also taking place in Beijing. The tournament has attracted a strong field, with many top players competing for the title. Djokovic's victory sets the stage for what promises to be an exciting competition in the Chinese capital.
Key points
- Djokovic extended his unbeaten streak in Beijing to 31 matches with a hard-fought victory over Nuno Borges.
- Karen Khachanov secured a statement win over second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime, beating him 6-3, 6-3 in their first-round meeting.
- World number two Alexander Zverev was set to start his bid for the title against Cameron Norrie on Thursday.
