Novak Djokovic Returns to Beijing for China Open After 8 Years
Novak Djokovic is going back to Beijing, back to a court that once felt like his private kingdom.
The 39-year-old has confirmed he will return to the China Open, his first appearance there since 2015, when he demolished Rafael Nadal 6–2, 6–2 in the final to lift a fourth consecutive title in the Chinese capital. Between 2009 and 2015, Djokovic turned the National Tennis Centre into a personal stronghold: six titles in seven years, barely a set dropped, an aura of inevitability every time he walked through the tunnel.
Now he goes back chasing something very different – a response.
A champion returns to his fortress
Djokovic’s name first reappeared quietly on the China Open entry list earlier this month, tucked alongside Jannik Sinner and US Open champion Alexander Zverev. Speculation built quickly. Confirmation, though, came in Djokovic’s own words.
"I'm very happy to announce that I'm coming back after many years to play in Beijing at the China Open," he said in a message on his Instagram story. "I am excited to come back and perform in front of all of you at the National Tennis Centre – one of the nicest venues we have in tennis.
"A place where I had some incredible memories and great success throughout my career.
"I want to thank all the Chinese fans for their continuous love and support for so many years. Can't wait to perform in front of you. See you very soon."
The message was long, emotional, and pointed at one thing: this is not a token late-career appearance. Djokovic is going there to feel like himself again.
From New York shock to Beijing comfort
His timing says everything. Djokovic arrives in China still stung by a brutal opening-round exit at the US Open, stunned by Mariano Navone in what was his first first-round defeat at a major since the 2006 Australian Open. For a player who has built his legend on reliability in the biggest moments, that kind of loss cuts deep.
So he turns to a tournament that has never failed him.
The numbers in Beijing are ruthless. Titles in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Wins over Marin Cilic, David Ferrer, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Tomas Berdych and twice Nadal in finals that often felt like exhibitions of dominance rather than contests. Scorelines tell the story: 6–0, 6–2 against Berdych in 2014, the back-to-back beatdowns of Nadal in 2013 and 2015. No man has won more China Open titles.
For Djokovic, Beijing is not just another stop on the calendar. It is muscle memory.
Sinner’s new era, Djokovic’s old ground
The landscape he returns to, though, has shifted.
Last year, Jannik Sinner walked through the same corridors and owned the same court. The Italian captured the 2025 title with a commanding 6-2, 6-2 win over Learner Tien in the final, striking 24 winners to 16 unforced errors and barely letting the American breathe. Tien managed 11 winners and 18 unforced errors, overwhelmed by Sinner’s weight of shot and clarity of purpose.
"It is a very, very special place for me," Sinner said during the trophy presentation, speaking to the ATP. He thanked his team, those present and those watching from home, and spoke of pushing for more, of using Beijing as a springboard.
He did exactly that. Sinner went on to win in Vienna, Paris and Turin before the end of 2025, turning a strong season into a statement one.
So Beijing now sits at a crossroads of generations: the court where Djokovic once reigned unchallenged, and the stage where Sinner announced his readiness to carry the sport’s next era.
What does Beijing get this time?
Djokovic comes back as the most decorated man in the tournament’s history, but also as a player with something to prove again. The aura is intact, the résumé unmatchable, yet that early exit in New York lingers. Champions of his calibre rarely accept being defined by their last bad day.
The National Tennis Centre has seen him at his most ruthless, his most untouchable. This time, the intrigue lies in something else: can the old master still bend a familiar arena to his will, or has Beijing quietly become someone else’s territory?
China will get its answer under the Beijing lights.
