Djokovic wins seventh China Open title after de Minaur retires

Novak Djokovic won the China Open in Beijing on Tuesday after Alex de Minaur retired at the start of the second set, giving the Serbian his seventh title at the tournament and 102nd career tour-level crown. Djokovic had taken a tightly contested opening set 7-6, winning the tiebreak 7-3. De Minaur won the first game of the second set before ending the match. The final stopped after both players received medical attention following the opening set. De Minaur returned to court with strapping on his left thigh, according to match reports, but the supplied accounts do not establish a definitive diagnosis. Some described the problem as a groin injury, while others referred to his thigh. De Minaur’s retirement left Djokovic with the title without another competitive game in the match. Afterward, de Minaur apologized to spectators and said he had not wanted the final to end that way. In his runners-up remarks, he also congratulated Djokovic and praised the level of tennis the champion had produced during the week. The victory was Djokovic’s first title in nearly a year, according to post-match accounts, and extended his unbeaten record at the Beijing tournament.