The sixth-seeded star maintained his remarkable unbeaten streak at the tournament, extending his record to 30-0. Djokovic, who has claimed the title on six previous occasions, last competed in the event in 2015. This victory also served as a rebound following his early exit at the U.S. Open in late August.
Djokovic overcomes medical scare to advance
The match was largely defined by a single break of serve, which occurred early in the contest when Djokovic broke Borges during the Portuguese player's opening service game. While the first set proceeded with relative stability, the second set saw a moment of concern when Djokovic requested a medical timeout while trailing 3-2. A physiotherapist attended to the 39-year-old on court for an undisclosed issue.
Despite the interruption, Djokovic appeared unfazed upon his return to play. He demonstrated composure in his subsequent service games, holding to love on two occasions. The set eventually moved to a tiebreak, where Djokovic dominated the proceedings. He quickly established a significant lead and secured the match on his first match point when Borges sent a backhand into the net, finalizing the score at 6-3, 7-6 (2).
Khachanov continues strong form against Auger-Aliassime
In other action at the China Open,
The match saw Khachanov capitalize on his opponent's errors, with Auger-Aliassime committing 11 unforced mistakes in the opening set. Khachanov secured the crucial break early in the first set and maintained his momentum in the second, breaking the Canadian's serve in the third game. He closed out the match in dominant fashion, winning four consecutive points in the final game to seal the victory.
