Djokovic Grinds Through Fitness Scare to Extend Remarkable Beijing Streak

Novak Djokovic’s body may be protesting, but his competitive instincts remain as sharp as ever. The Serbian star survived a second-round scare against Chinese wildcard Yunchaokete Bu at the China Open on Friday, battling through visible fitness issues to post a 4-6, 7-6(7-2), 6-2 comeback win that stretched his extraordinary unbeaten run at the Beijing tournament to 31 matches.

It was far from vintage Djokovic. The world No. 104 Bu, ranked more than a hundred places below his illustrious opponent, pushed the 24-time Grand Slam champion to the brink, forcing break points early and matching him blow for blow deep into the second set. At one stage Djokovic required on-court medical treatment, visibly fatigued as the match wore on, continuing a worrying pattern after he admitted struggling physically during his opening-round victory over Nuno Borges.

Djokovic had disclosed in August that he was managing an ongoing health condition, though he insisted before the tournament that he was “feeling good.” The evidence on court this week has told a more complicated story. Yet whatever discomfort he is carrying, it has not dented his ability to find a way through when it matters most.

“I had to play very well and serve well in the right moments,” Djokovic said afterwards. “He was so solid and I struggled to really find holes in his game. He was hitting his spots incredibly well with the serve and was mixing things up really well in the rallies from the back of the court.”

Trailing after dropping the opener, Djokovic clawed his way back by winning the second-set tiebreak comfortably, then found another level entirely in the decider, surging to a 4-0 lead before closing out the match. He now faces the winner of Alexander Zverev’s clash with Juncheng Shang in the quarter-finals, where sterner physical tests surely await if his body does not settle.

Elsewhere in Beijing, the men’s draw continued to take shape as Daniil Medvedev eased past Pablo Carreno-Busta 6-4, 6-2 to set up a second-round meeting with Jan-Lennard Struff, while Karen Khachanov dispatched Alex Molcan 7-5, 6-3. Over at the Japan Open in Tokyo, Artur Fils impressed with a 6-3, 7-5 win over Frances Tiafoe to reach the quarter-finals.

On the women’s side, the top seeds made their presence felt. Aryna Sabalenka was in ruthless form against Renata Zarazua, overpowering the Mexican 6-1, 6-3 in just over an hour with a barrage of heavy groundstrokes that left little room for resistance. The world No. 2 will next face Nikola Bartunkova for a place in the last 16.

Naomi Osaka had a tougher afternoon, needing three sets to see off Maria Timofeeva in her first match since the US Open. The four-time major champion cruised through the opener before inexplicably losing her rhythm, dropping five straight games as Timofeeva stormed back to level the contest. Osaka regrouped impressively in the decider, reeling off five consecutive games of her own to close out a 6-3, 3-6, 6-3 victory.

“It was really tough,” Osaka admitted. “It was my first match since New York, so it was a little difficult getting my bearings. She’s a great player, and I think it was a great match.” Osaka now moves on to face 20th seed Sara Bejlek.

There was disappointment for British hopes, however, as Katie Boulter was shown the exit by Karolina Muchova for the third time this season. The world No. 8 Czech won 7-6(7-3), 6-1, extending her perfect record against Boulter in 2025 following an earlier meeting at the US Open. “It was a very close match; we’ve played a few times this year,” Muchova reflected after the win.

With both Asian swing tournaments now moving deeper into their draws, attention will turn to whether Djokovic’s body can hold up against tougher opposition, and whether Sabalenka and Osaka can maintain the momentum that has carried them comfortably into the second week.