Djokovic wins 102nd career title, his 7th China Open, as de Minaur retires injured in final

Novak Djokovic reached a career milestone few will ever approach, claiming his 102nd singles title of a remarkable career when Alex de Minaur turned back at 0-1 in the China Open final on Saturday. Djokovic, 39, led the 27-year-old Australian 7-6 (7-3), 0-1 when de Minaur retired with an apparent left-thigh injury, ending a 68-minute first set that had featured two medical timeouts. The result marks the 24-time Grand Slam champion's first title in just over a year and a compelling reminder that he can still win on the biggest stages. The victory also cemented several records. It is Djokovic's 21st consecutive year with at least one singles title - the longest such streak in history - and places him third on the all-time list, behind only Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103). It was his 7th China Open title, extending to 34 his unbeaten record at the tournament in a run that has never ended on Beijing soil. "I always have high expectations and want to visualise myself with the trophy, but particularly here in Beijing, the place where I've never lost," Djokovic said, per BBC Sport. The win arrives after a difficult season in which Djokovic's body repeatedly failed him, including a surprise first-ever first-round defeat at the US Open and a "serious health condition" he said aggravated the oppressive heat. He has limited his schedule to protect himself, and BBC Sport reports the Beijing trophy will move him back inside the world's top 10 - a projection BBC offers rather than a confirmed ranking change. Djokovic reached the final by defeating world No. 2 Alexander Zverev and by advancing after Daniil Medvedev was disqualified in the semi-final. Ahead of him, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner has withdrawn from the rest of 2026 with a knee injury, leaving Zverev certain to overtake him at the top of the rankings by year's end. Source: [BBC Sport](https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/articles/crkg7d815e59o)