Novak Djokovic isn’t wasting much time dwelling on his US Open exit. Just hours after his shock first-round defeat to Mariano Navone ended his 77-match Grand Slam opening-round winning streak, the Serb confirmed his participation at an event he hasn’t played in for 11 years.
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The China Open has included Djokovic on its men’s singles entry list, setting up his return to Beijing for the first time since 2015.
The China Open is scheduled to begin on September 30 in Beijing, giving Djokovic roughly a month before he is back in competitive action. But while his next stop is already confirmed, questions over his health remain after the worrying scenes at Flushing Meadows.
Djokovic had appeared to be in control against Navone, leading two sets to one and holding a break advantage in the fourth. Then, his physical struggles caught up with him. The fourth seed managed just two more games as Navone stormed through the final two sets to seal a 4-hour, 36-minute victory: the longest opening-round match of Djokovic’s Grand Slam career.
The Serbian looked visibly unwell for much of the contest, making the defeat even more concerning. It also marked his first opening-round loss at a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open.
He later shared the update about his health and stated, “It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year: vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there.”
Then, before leaving the court in tears, the Serb confessed, “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.”
Admitting the distress he felt in that moment, the 39-year-old “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.
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.