Novak Djokovic Reaches 102 Career Titles With China Open Triumph

By KPD News Online Sports Desk
October 7, 2026

Novak Djokovic added another landmark to his extraordinary career on Tuesday, winning the China Open for a record seventh time and collecting the 102nd ATP singles title of his career.

The Serbian star secured the championship after Australia’s Alex de Minaur was forced to retire because of injury while trailing Djokovic 7-6(3), 1-0 in the final in Beijing.

Djokovic remains unbeaten in Beijing

The victory extended Djokovic’s remarkable China Open record to 34 wins without a defeat. His seventh championship also came after an 11-year absence from the Beijing tournament.

The opening set proved highly competitive, with neither player able to establish a decisive advantage before Djokovic prevailed in the tiebreak. De Minaur received medical treatment and returned with his left thigh heavily strapped, but after winning the opening game of the second set, the Australian was unable to continue.

Djokovic expressed sympathy for his opponent following the premature conclusion of the final, while acknowledging the physical difficulties he has experienced during the season.

“I’m really sorry for the way you had to finish today and I really hope that you can recover quickly,” Djokovic said at the trophy presentation.

Another milestone for a remarkable career

The title is Djokovic’s first of the 2026 season and extends his record of winning at least one tour-level singles title in every season for 21 consecutive years. He also became the first man to win a tour-level singles title after turning 39 since Ken Rosewall in 1977.

Djokovic now sits just one title behind Roger Federer’s 103 and seven behind Jimmy Connors’ Open Era record of 109.

The achievement is particularly significant given the Serbian’s difficult season. Djokovic had spoken earlier in the China Open about ongoing physical problems and the challenges he had faced during 2026.

A dramatic road to the final

Djokovic’s route to the trophy was far from straightforward. He defeated Alexander Zverev on his way to the final, while his semifinal against Daniil Medvedev ended in unusual circumstances when Medvedev was defaulted after striking a ball into the spectator area.

Despite the unusual circumstances surrounding both the semifinal and final, Djokovic leaves Beijing with another major piece of tennis history.

At 39, the Serbian continues to add to a record-breaking career that already includes 24 Grand Slam singles titles and now 102 ATP Tour-level championships.