Novak Djokovic does not want to rest after what happened during Sunday night’s Arthur Ashe session. Hours after his stunning first-round exit at the US Open, a five-set loss to Mariano Navone that ended his 77-match Grand Slam opening-round win streak, the China Open confirmed Djokovic on its men’s singles direct-entry list, marking his return to Beijing for the first time in 11 years.

The defeat was brutal, along with being historic. Djokovic was leading two sets to one and was up a break in the fourth before his body gave out completely. The fourth seed lost two consecutive sets, winning just two games in the match after that point, concluding in four hours and 36 minutes – the longest opening round match of his Grand Slam career. He looked visibly unwell on much of Sunday’s encounter, and the loss was his first in the first round of any major since the 2006 Australian Open. 

“It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year: vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there,” he said afterward. “Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain. Yeah, the back just gave up in the end, and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.” 

He was even more direct about how the match felt in the moment, admitting he “pretty much despised every moment” spent on court once his body stopped cooperating.

The toll showed emotionally as well as physically. He was down 1-3 in the deciding set, while his body was not supporting him. Djokovic broke down in tears as the Arthur Ashe crowd cheered him and tried to get him back in the match, but the damage was done. 

“The love and appreciation they gave me in the end really touched my heart,” he said. “They were super nice. So grateful to experience this.”

It also extended the wait for his record 25th Grand Slam till 2027 at the earliest. This exit marks Serbian’s 12 appearances without winning a major, surpassing his previous streak. The last time Djokovic struggled to win a major again for such a long time was when he won his first major at the 2008 Australian Open and then had to wait for another three years to win the second trophy, which also came at the same place.

Beijing has always been kind to him, and he is not done chasing more

Historically, Beijing has been generous to him. Djokovic has never lost a match at the China Open, winning the title in each of his six appearances there, in 2009, 2010, and every year from 2012 through 2015. 

His last match there summed up that dominance perfectly. In the 2015 final, he beat Rafael Nadal 6-2, 6-2 to claim a sixth title and push his career record at the event to 29-0 without a single defeat. He has never hidden how much the tournament means to him, either. When an elbow injury forced him to withdraw the following year, ending his hopes of a seventh title, he made a promise that has taken over a decade to fulfill. 

“The China Open is one of my favourite tournaments,” he said at the time. “I have had a lot of success there, winning the title six times. I love competing in front of the passionate Chinese fans and I look forward to coming back to Beijing in the future.” 

His return to the ATP 500 event, which begins September 30, brings him back to a surface where he has a perfect record, as doubts grow over his health and how long he plans to continue at this level. 

He will not be short of company at the top of the draw. Returning from a knee injury that kept him out of the US Open, Jannik Sinner is in the headlines as the defending champion, making his comeback on tour. Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime, and several other top names have also been confirmed for Beijing. 

If he’s committing to Beijing so early after one of his more physically terrifying losses of the season, that’s telling. Whatever conclusions are drawn from Sunday night in New York, Djokovic clearly does not see it as a signal to slow down. Having a spot on a draw sheet where he has never lost is an indication that he is not willing to give up just yet.