Djokovic Beats Borges at China Open Despite Medical Timeout, Extends Beijing Streak to 30-0
Novak Djokovic, 39, won his first match in Beijing since 2015 and his first victory since July, but needed treatment mid-match before setting up a second-round meeting.
Novak Djokovic kept his perfect record at the China Open intact on Wednesday, beating Portugal's Nuno Borges 6-3, 7-6 (2) in the first round in Beijing. It was his first victory since July, and it came with a medical timeout along the way.
The sixth-seeded Serb is now 30-0 at the tournament. He has won it six times, most recently in 2015, and this week is his first appearance there in 11 years.
What happened on court
Djokovic broke Borges in the Portuguese player's first service game of the match. That turned out to be the only break of serve in the contest, according to the Associated Press.
The second set was tougher. Djokovic was treated by a physio on court when he trailed 3-2. The AP described the issue as undisclosed, while the BBC reported that the treatment was for his right shoulder. The BBC also said he used his racquet to stretch his back between games.
He didn't appear to be held back afterwards. The AP reported that he held his next two service games to love and played some of his best tennis of the match after the break.
In the tiebreak he moved quickly ahead and earned four match points. He needed only one, when Borges hit a backhand into the net. The match lasted one hour and 50 minutes, per the BBC.
Why the result stands out
It was Djokovic's first win since July 7, when he won his Wimbledon quarterfinal. The BBC says he went on to reach the semi-finals there. The AP notes he then lost his opening match at the US Open on Aug. 31.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion revealed in August that he has been dealing with an underlying health condition for "the past couple of years". The BBC says it causes particular problems in hot, humid conditions. He was, in the BBC's words, far from his best against Borges.
He is chasing a record-extending seventh China Open title.
What happens next
Djokovic plays wildcard Bu Yunchaokete of China in the second round.
Elsewhere on Wednesday, Canada's Felix Auger-Aliassime lost 6-3, 6-3 to Karen Khachanov. Khachanov also beat him at the US Open, where he reached the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Alexander Zverev. Auger-Aliassime made 11 unforced errors in the first set, per the AP.
In the women's draw, Britain's Katie Boulter beat Japan's Mai Hontama 6-3, 6-4. She faces seventh seed Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic next.
Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, withdrew from the tournament because of a lingering knee injury.
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