Novak Djokovic Returns to Beijing for China Open After Decade
Novak Djokovic is going back to Beijing, back to a court where he once looked untouchable.
The 39-year-old has confirmed he will return to the China Open, ending a decade-long absence from a tournament he dominated like no other. His last appearance came in 2015, when he dismantled Rafael Nadal 6–2, 6–2 in the final to lift his fourth straight title in the Chinese capital and sixth overall.
Now he’s coming back to the National Tennis Centre, a place he knows better than anyone.
“I’m very happy to announce that I’m coming back after many years to play in Beijing at the China Open,” Djokovic said in a message on his Instagram story. He called the venue “one of the nicest” in tennis, a stage where he has “incredible memories and great success” and reserved a special nod for the fans, thanking Chinese supporters for their “continuous love and support for so many years.”
Then came the promise: “Can’t wait to perform in front of you. See you very soon.”
This return is not just about nostalgia. It comes on the back of a jolt. Djokovic was knocked out in the first round of the US Open by Mariano Navone, his earliest exit at a major since the 2006 Australian Open. For a player who has built his legend on Grand Slam resilience, that kind of defeat leaves a mark.
China, though, has always been his sanctuary.
From 2009 to 2015, Beijing was Djokovic’s personal stronghold. Six titles in seven years. Finals that rarely felt like contests. He beat Marin Cilic 6–2, 7–6 in 2009, then David Ferrer 6–2, 6–4 in 2010. After a one-year gap in 2011, he returned to crush Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7–6, 6–2 in 2012.
Then came the Nadal years. A 7–6, 6–3 win over the Spaniard in 2013, followed by a ruthless 6–0, 6–2 demolition of Tomas Berdych in 2014, and finally that 6–2, 6–2 repeat against Nadal in 2015. Different opponents, same outcome. Djokovic walked into Beijing and walked out with the trophy.
That history explains why his name jumping back onto the entry list earlier this month, alongside Jannik Sinner and US Open champion Alexander Zverev, turned heads. The field is younger now, sharper, with Sinner in particular emerging as a force at this event.
Sinner owns the most recent chapter in Beijing’s story. The Italian won the 2025 China Open, sweeping past Learner Tien 6–2, 6–2 in a final he controlled from first ball to last. The numbers underlined the dominance: 24 winners to 16 unforced errors for Sinner, compared with Tien’s 11 winners and 18 errors.
“It is a very, very special place for me,” Sinner said during the trophy presentation, as per the ATP. He thanked his team, on-site and at home, and spoke of pushing for more. He backed those words up, too, rolling through the end of 2025 with titles in Vienna, Paris and Turin.
So Beijing now offers a compelling clash of eras. On one side, Djokovic, the man with more China Open titles than any player in history, trying to reset his season and reassert his authority after a rare early Slam exit. On the other, Sinner, the reigning champion who used last year’s run as a springboard to one of the strongest finishes on tour.
Djokovic returns to a city that once guaranteed him silverware. The question now is simple: can Beijing still be his fortress, or has the balance of power at the National Tennis Centre quietly shifted to the new guard?
