Djokovic Beats Bu in Beijing, Ties Nadal's Winning Streak
After nearly three hours and a medical timeout for his hip, Novak Djokovic beat Yunchaokete Bu 4-6, 7-6, 6-2 and plays the quarterfinal on Sunday at 1 pm.
About 15,000 people refused to go home, even though the match in Beijing dragged on until almost midnight. When Novak Djokovic finally closed out the third set against China’s Yunchaokete Bu on Friday, October 2, he first addressed the fans who had stayed to the end.
They stayed almost until midnight, nearly three hours. I want to thank them for supporting both my opponent and me.
The Serbian star admitted after the match that the home crowd had surprised him. They backed both players, and he had not expected that against a Chinese opponent.
I had to pinch myself, honestly I did not expect it, playing against a Chinese player. I am very grateful. I try to give them good matches.
How did the match with Bu unfold?
In the round of 16 in Beijing, Djokovic lost the first set 4-6, then turned it around: he took the second in a tiebreak 7-2 and the third 6-2. The whole thing lasted almost three hours.
Afterward he described what gave him the most trouble: the wind, the serve and an opponent who kept changing the tempo.
I had to play very well. I had to serve well at the right moments. It was quite easy from one end of the court. I played more easily with the wind at my back than facing it, so most of the breaks came from the end with the wind. He was good. I struggled to find holes in his game, he served excellently. He varied his attacks very well. Hats off to him for the way he played. The atmosphere was incredible.
Djokovic added that Bu changed the rhythm in baseline exchanges, used the slice and came to the net.
What happened with his hip in the second set?
With Bu leading 3-2 in the second set, Djokovic called a medical timeout. The physiotherapist massaged his hip and abdominal muscles for several minutes. He had the same problem in the previous round, against Nuno Borges. When he returned to the court he looked less than fresh, yet he still finished the set.
Reporters asked him about his physical problems after the match, and Djokovic answered without details.
People think my problems are a consequence of my fitness level, but that is not true. They are connected with my health. I do not want to reveal what it is, but I am trying to finally solve it with my team.
Why does 31-0 in Beijing match Nadal’s streak?
This was his 31st win from as many matches at this ATP 500 event. Before him, only Rafael Nadal had managed the same, at Roland Garros, from his debut in 2005 to the loss to Robin Soderling in 2009. Behind them on that list are Jimmy Connors with 28 wins in Birmingham, then John McEnroe in Milan and Mats Wilander in Barcelona, both with 23.
Djokovic is playing in Beijing for the first time since 2015. Sources differ on how many titles he won here: RTS writes that he is a six-time champion, B92 says five. After the match he said the streak matters to him.
After 11 years, of course I want to keep the streak going. I really tried to give my best on the court for you and I hope you see it and appreciate it.
What does Djokovic plan for the rest of the season?
Asked about his schedule, Djokovic confirmed only the Paris Masters and said he has not yet decided on Shanghai.
I plan to play Paris-Bercy. I do not know about Shanghai yet. I have to see how I feel here, then I will make a decision.
The ATP Finals in Turin are a different story. He needs to be among the top eight in the race, and Djokovic is currently 11th. The first player above the cutoff, Daniil Medvedev, has 630 more points. He did not play the Finals in 2024 or 2025 either, even though he had qualified, and this is how he talks about this year’s plan.
I am not very clear about that at the moment. Right now I have not qualified for Turin. This year I would like to play if I qualify.
When is the quarterfinal, and against whom?
After a day off, Djokovic plays the quarterfinal on Sunday, October 4. The match is scheduled for 7 pm Beijing time, which is 1 pm Serbian time. It will be his 228th career quarterfinal.
His opponent is the winner of the match between Alexander Zverev and Yuncheng Shang, played on Saturday at 1 pm. By Sunday at 1 pm it will be known who stands on the other side of the net.
