Novak Djokovic’s China Open return: the 29–0 record and the fitness caveat

Novak Djokovic has offered an encouraging fitness update ahead of his announced return to the China Open in Beijing, scheduled for 30 September 2026. His first appearance there since 2015 brings together an unbeaten tournament history and questions about his physical condition after a first-round US Open defeat.

The striking number is 29–0: Djokovic’s record across his six previous Beijing appearances, each ending with the title. But his assessment of his body was more qualified. ‘Yeah, feeling good so far,’ he said in pre-tournament remarks reported by Sky Sports on 29 September.

What Djokovic said about his fitness

Djokovic drew a clear distinction between preparing for a tournament and playing in it. ‘Obviously, it’s completely different when you’re playing an official match compared to practice sets or practice sessions. But so far so good,’ Sky Sports quoted him as saying.

He also connected his confidence to his results in China. ‘My record speaks for itself on Chinese soil,’ he said. ‘Knowing that, it also brings this dimension of confidence that I really need.’

Those comments establish how Djokovic said he felt before the tournament. They do not establish a diagnosis, a successful treatment or complete recovery. His own warning about the difference between practice and matches leaves his response to competitive play an open question.

Why the US Open defeat matters

The update follows a difficult spell. Tennisnet placed it against physical problems in Cincinnati and at the US Open, reporting that Djokovic had previously described difficulties running through the year. It did not identify a confirmed solution to those problems.

Sky Sports reported that Mariano Navone beat Djokovic in five sets in the first round in New York, ending his attempt to win a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title. The 39-year-old vomited repeatedly during the match on a humid day.

That account concerns his condition during the US Open match, not his condition in Beijing. Sky described the defeat as his first opening-round loss at a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open, underlining how unusual the result was in his career.

There is a season-long context, too. In its 29 September report, Sky said Djokovic had dropped outside the world’s top 10 and stood 15th in the Race to Turin, outside the top eight qualifying places for the ATP Finals. It described Beijing as his eighth event of 2026, with his first ATP Tour title of the season still to come.

Who Djokovic was drawn to face in Beijing

Djokovic’s official draw announcement, published on 28 September, named Portugal’s Nuno Borges as his opening opponent. The ATP 500 tournament listed Djokovic as the sixth seed and Borges as world No. 49.

According to Djokovic’s website, the pair had met only once before: a quarter-final in Athens in 2025, which Djokovic won. That previous result supplies context for the draw, without establishing what happened in their scheduled Beijing meeting.

Top seed Alexander Zverev was a possible quarter-final opponent, depending on both players progressing. The official preview also placed Daniil Medvedev and Jakub Mensik among the possible semi-final opponents.

Felix Auger-Aliassime, Alex de Minaur and Flavio Cobolli were in the opposite half. These names describe potential routes through the draw; they are not confirmed later-round fixtures for Djokovic.

How Djokovic built his 29–0 China Open record

His last Beijing appearance ended on 11 October 2015 with a 6–2, 6–2 victory over Rafael Nadal in the final. Contemporary reporting by Alejandro Delmás in Diario AS recorded his sixth China Open title and 29th consecutive win at the event.

The detail of that run explains the reputation. AS reported that Djokovic did not concede more than three games in any set throughout the tournament. In the final, he hit 23 winners and seven aces, converting four of his five break opportunities.

Those figures belong to the 2015 tournament. The 29–0 record cited in his new announcement is likewise his record before the scheduled 2026 return, rather than a verified tally incorporating a new Beijing result.

What remains unconfirmed about the return

The draw announcement and pre-tournament reports establish the planned comeback and Djokovic’s cautiously positive assessment. They do not establish the outcome of the scheduled Borges match or how his body responded during it. His distinction between training and competition remains central to understanding the fitness update.