Novak Djokovic won his seventh China Open title in unfortunate circumstances, as Alex de Minaur was forced to retire halfway through the match.
Djokovic took the first set against the Australian, after which both men opted to take a medical timeout.
De Minaur went off the court to be assessed and only last one games before he called time on the China Open final and awarded Djokovic the title.
In his post-match winning speech, Djokovic took the time to send a message to de Minaur.
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“I just realised it was rude from me not to start with Alex. Congratulations for a great week and I’m really sorry for the way you had to finish today,” said Djokovic.
“I really hope you can recover quickly. You’re definitely one of the most exciting players to watch on the Tour and I wish you all the best and the years to come.”
Elsewhere in his post-match winning speech, Djokovic also spoke about his worrying form heading into the Beijing event.
“It’s been 11 years since I played here last and honestly I always have high expectation for myself and obviously want to visualise myself with the trophy, particularly here in Beijing. I was also quite aware that reality is a little bit different.
“11 years and all these years later, it’s been quite challenging for me. Lots of ups and downs, physical and health issues etc. I was just trying to find good feeling in the court and obviously I know when I’m feeling well and striking the ball well I can still compete at the highest level. This week has been an evidence to that to be honest.
“I’m proud, I want to thank my team for incredible patience with me, but also incredible support. They know what I’ve been through the past few years, particularly this year. This trophy means more, much more than one trophy and one tournament for both of us, so very, very happy for that.
“I wouldn’t be making such results in a place where I’m not feeling particularly well and at home. People are super kind, nice. I’ve been playing since the beginning of this tournament, in front of a full stadium, and I can’t thank the crowd enough for their support and compassion. They’ve been an instrumental part of this success no doubt, and I owe them for that.”
As a result of his China Open triumph, Djokovic now sits at world No 8 in the ATP Tour rankings. That puts him in a good position to qualify for the ATP Finals in Turin at the end of the year.
