In Beijing, where he had not appeared for 11 years, Novak Djokovic began the tournament with a victory that looks not merely like a result, but like a test of strength at 39 years of age.
The Serbian tennis player defeated the Portuguese Nuno Borges with a score of 6:3, 7:6 (7:2) and extended his flawless streak at the China Open to 30 consecutive victories. This is Djokovic's first win since the Wimbledon semifinal in July, which was followed by defeats in Cincinnati and at the US Open.
The match proved difficult: in the second set, at a score of 2:3, Djokovic took a medical timeout due to problems with his shoulder and back. He stretched with his racket between games, but managed to turn the tide of the encounter in the tiebreak, where he showed his best play.
For the 24-time Grand Slam champion, Beijing has always been a special place — six titles from 2009 to 2015 year. The return after a long break and recent setbacks raises the question of how much his body still allows him to fight for a seventh title at this tournament.
Djokovic himself noted that in the first set he served confidently, while in the second he had to fight for freshness. The victory over Borges, who led in games in the second set, showed that even in less than ideal condition the Serb finds resources for the key moments.
His next opponent is the Chinese wild card Bu Yunchaokete. For Djokovic this is not just a match, but an opportunity to understand whether he has enough strength to go through the entire tournament and what his presence in Asia means for his career in its twilight.
