Tennis fans were happy to see Novak Djokovic out on the court again. He hasn’t played for nearly a month since his first-round loss at the US Open. Djokovic entered the China Open draw, playing the ATP 500 tournament for the first time in 11 years.
We know he struggles in the heat, but the weather was on his side in Beijing with 70-degree temperatures. The six-time China Open champion also was defending an undefeated record in Beijing that stood at 29-0 before this match.
Djokovic looked good in the first set, winning 6-3. But in the middle of the second set, he required a medical timeout for an apparent tweak in his back.
MORE: Novak Djokovic shows up in unexpected place in first public appearance since US Open
Breathless at times but shotmaking on point
August 30, 2026; New York, United States; Serbia’s Novak Djokovic walks out ahead of his first round match against Argentina’s Mariano Navone. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-Imagn Images
Djokovic also looked out of breath and frequently crouched over after long, physical rallies.
He was able to keep it together, play the big points well and escape with a straight-set win — 6-3, 7-6(2) — over World No. 49 Nuno Borges.
MORE: Novak Djokovic first-round US Open loss to Mariano Navone hard to watch
Djokovic in 2026
Despite a rough year by his standards, Djokovic is 15-7 after this win.
He is ranked 11th and can beat just about anyone, even if hampered physically.
The best-of-three-set tournaments benefit him because the physicality of best-of-five is sometimes difficult for him.
Djokovic the coach
When not on the court in match play, Djokovic is frequently seen talking with other players.
He had an interesting interaction with Iga Swiatek on the practice courts, where it appeared she was seeking his advice on return positioning and body alignment. Lukasinho on X shared video of the interaction.
After seeing Djokovic, Iga asked if he could give her some guidance on her return 😁#swiatek #wta #djokovic pic.twitter.com/FTu09oNSCZ
— Lukasinho (@LukasFCB321) September 26, 2026
Who wouldn’t ask the greatest of all time for some pointers in that situation? He has a wealth of knowledge. Hopefully when he leaves the game as a player, he hangs around in an advisory or coaching capacity to benefit the upcoming generations.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —