Former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic won his seventh China Open title without needing a match point in the semifinals and final.
Djokovic was rewarded with a victory after his opponent in the semi-finals Daniil Medvedev was disqualified after hitting the audience with the ball. won his 102nd career title after De Minaur retired in the final.
De Minaur, who left the court for a medical time-out after the first set, continued to play with a heavy bandage on her left thigh. However, after winning the first game of the second set, he could not continue.
Djokovic narrowly won the first set, 7-6 (7-3) 0-1 when De Minaur retired.
“It’s been 11 years since I last played here,” Djokovic explained during the trophy ceremony. “I always have high hopes for myself and I always want to imagine myself with the trophy, especially in Beijing, where I’ve never lost. But I also knew that the reality was a little different these days.”
Djokovic’s 102nd career tour-level title moves him to within one of Roger Federer’s 103 for the second most in the Open Era, trailing only Jimmy Connors’ 109.
The 39-year-old Serbian also extended his perfect record in the ATP 500 competition to 34-0.
It also boosted his hopes of returning to the Nitto ATP Finals this year.
The two went toe-to-toe in the first set, targeting the baseline to put pressure on each other.
De Minaur almost broke Djokovic in the fifth game, but the Serb saved a break point with a full-length backhand down the sideline.
The Australian was solid, but the 27-year-old’s unforced errors piled up in the tie-break, handing Djokovic the first set.
An exhausted Djokovic also needed treatment during the break and the 39-year-old was surprised when De Minaur signaled the end of the match.
“This year has been quite difficult for me: a lot of physical and health problems,” Djokovic said.
“I was just trying to find a good feeling on the court. I know I feel good and hit the ball well, I can compete at the highest level. This week proved that.”
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Highlights of Djokovic’s China Open final against De Minaur
“I apologize to all the amazing fans who came to watch this match,” said De Minaur, who last retired from official action as a teenager in 2017. “I didn’t want to finish like this, so I’m very sorry. Thanks to my team – the ones here and the ones back home – it’s been a great week and I’m sure there’s more to come.”
“We don’t want to see the matches end with retirement”
De Minaur was close to tears after retiring in Beijing
“It’s just the anticlimactic nature of it,” said a shocked former British No.1 Johanna Konta Sky Sports Tennis. “You have no emotional release.
“Djokovic has been the player of the week because you can only ask a player to deal with the challenges that are presented to them and he’s dealt with the challenges ahead and that’s what it’s all about.
“We don’t want to see matches retired, and Djokovic himself probably wouldn’t. However, I’m sure he was pleased that he didn’t necessarily reach his physical limits, but he’ll be pleased with the good things he did this week.
“I would be less surprised if Novak Djokovic retired.”
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