Djokovic Faces De Minaur in Beijing Final at 1 pm CET
Novak Djokovic plays his 146th career final on Tuesday against Alex de Minaur, chasing a 102nd title and his first of the season. At 39, he is the oldest ATP 500 finalist.
Daniil Medvedev hit a spectator in the stands with a ball during the second set and was disqualified, sending Novak Djokovic, who led 5-3, into the Beijing final without finishing the semifinal. Today, Tuesday, October 6, at 1 pm Central European Time, he plays Australian Alex de Minaur.
For Djokovic it is a chance at a seventh Beijing title, the 102nd of his career and his first of the 2026 season. For De Minaur, it is a first final at the Chinese tournament.
What does the Djokovic and De Minaur head-to-head say?
The two have played four official matches, and the Serb leads 3-1. Djokovic won at the 2023 Australian Open, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2, in the 2024 Monte Carlo quarterfinals and in the fourth round of Wimbledon in 2025. There he came back after losing the first set to win 1-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. De Minaur’s only win came in the 2024 United Cup quarterfinals.
Wimbledon was also their most recent meeting, which makes the Beijing final their fifth. For the Australian it is a 21st career final, and he is playing for a 12th trophy. In its preview, RTS notes that De Minaur is known for his movement, speed and ability to return a large number of balls, while Djokovic should rely on experience and control of the rhythm in long rallies.
Which records does Djokovic carry into the final?
At 39 years and four months, Djokovic is the oldest player to reach a final in the ATP 500 series. The previous record belonged to Roger Federer, who won the title in Basel in 2019 at 38 years and two months, so the Serb is now more than a year beyond him.
It is also his 146th final, which ties him with Ivan Lendl. Only Federer with 157 and Jimmy Connors with 164 finals are ahead of them. In Beijing his record is 33 wins and no losses, and the final gives him the chance to extend that streak at a tournament where he has never lost.
How did the two reach the final?
Djokovic beat Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 after two hours and 35 minutes, having lost the first set. The semifinal against Medvedev ended with the Russian’s disqualification for hitting a spectator with a ball, with the Serb leading 5-3 in the second set at that moment.
De Minaur had an easier route. In the semifinal Hubert Hurkacz retired injured with the Australian ahead 6-4, 3-2, so he walks onto the court having spent far less time on it.
What does Djokovic say ahead of the match?
Ahead of the final he predicted a physically demanding day:
“A lot of running. Again, nothing gets easier when it comes to running, that’s for sure. I expect another battle, another physically demanding match in which I probably won’t get many free points”
During the tournament he also spoke about his health and the Olympic Games in Los Angeles. He said he has proven many times that, when healthy, he can beat the best players in the world, and added:
“That’s why I’m not worried about my game or my mental state. I’m only worried about these health problems, the cause of which I’m trying to determine. Once I solve them completely, hopefully soon, then I don’t see an obstacle to getting to Los Angeles”
After Beijing comes the Masters in Shanghai, where Djokovic, as reported earlier, has a first-round bye.
