Djokovic Wins China Open at 39, Eyes Roland-Garros 2027

Novak Djokovic won the China Open in Beijing on October 6, 2026, when Alex de Minaur retired with a groin problem early in the second set of the final, at 7-6(3), 0-1. It was Djokovic's seventh China Open title and his first title of 2026: his only other final of the year was the Australian Open, which he lost to Carlos Alcaraz. It was also the 102nd tour-level title of his career, one behind Roger Federer. Jimmy Connors holds the Open Era record with 109.

How the Week Unfolded

Djokovic's hardest match was the quarterfinal on October 4 against top seed Alexander Zverev, the Roland-Garros champion. Zverev won the first set 6-4; Djokovic broke at 5-4 in the second and third sets to win 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in 2 hours and 35 minutes. His semifinal against Daniil Medvedev on October 5 ended late in the second set, when Medvedev was disqualified after a ball off his racquet struck a spectator.

A Record That Keeps Growing

• Djokovic has never lost a match at the China Open: his record there is now 34-0.
• His 32-0 start before the semifinal had already passed Rafael Nadal's 31-0 start at Roland-Garros as the best start at a tour-level event in the Open Era.
• He described his year this way: "This year has been quite challenging for me: Lots of physical and health issues."

What It Shows

Djokovic dropped out of the top 10 after his first-round loss at the US Open, his first time outside it since July 2018, and he was still outside the top 10 in the ATP rankings of November 2, 2026. Beijing showed that at 39 he can still beat a top seed over best-of-three sets on a fast court.

Why It Matters for Roland-Garros 2027

Djokovic turns 40 on May 22, 2027, the day before the Roland-Garros 2027 main draw starts on Sunday, May 23. He has not announced his 2027 schedule. After he lost a five-set third-round match to Joao Fonseca in Paris in 2026, Reuters reported that he was less sure about returning. A week in Beijing that included a win over the Roland-Garros champion suggests he can still trouble the best players. See the men's field in our 2027 player entry list and early Roland-Garros 2027 odds, and read about Jannik Sinner's absence from the Asian swing in our report on his Shanghai Masters withdrawal.

Planning Ahead for Roland-Garros 2027

The 2027 tournament runs May 17 to June 6, starting with qualifying (Opening Week). Roland-Garros had not opened its 2027 single-ticket sale by November 2, 2026. GoalTickets, which runs this site, is an independent resale marketplace; resale prices are usually above face value. See our champions history page and player profiles.

Sources: AP via NBC Sports (final, October 6, 2026), Reuters (quarterfinal), Wikipedia (2026 China Open and 2026 US Open men's singles), ATP rankings (November 2, 2026). Checked November 2, 2026.