Just In: Novak Djokovic signs up for new tournament hours after tearful US Open loss
Novak Djokovic has taken action after suffering a bruising first-round defeat at the US Open. Fans won’t have to wait too long to see the Serbian superstar, as he has signed up for the China Open, an ATP 500 event taking place in Beijing from September 30.
It will be Djokovic’s first appearance in Beijing in 11 years. This will also be his first tournament below the Grand Slam or Masters 1000 levels in 2026, and the first time he has played an ATP 500 event since last February.
The 39-year-old is already expected to drop outside of the top 10 for the first time since 2018 following his early exit in Flushing Meadows. Djokovic suffered a 7-6(5) 5-7 4-6 6-2 6-1 defeat to Mariano Navone on Sunday night, and was visibly struggling throughout.
He threw up on the court and called the physio, and by the end of the match, he’d started crying. It was Djokovic’s first opening-round exit at the US Open, and his first at any Major since the 2006 Australian Open.
The No. 4 seed later explained: “I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year.
“Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body, you know, starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain. The back just gave up in the end – and shoulder – and I couldn’t close it out, you know?
Djokovic found himself in a similar position at the Cincinnati Open last month, when he vomited on court during an opening-round loss to Thiago Agustin Tirante. And after losing in New York, he admitted that he was trying to “fix” the issue.
It seems that the 24-time Major champion is backing himself to recover by the end of the month after joining the China Open entry list. Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger-Aliassime and Flavio Cobolli are among those who have also joined the strong field.
Djokovic has sensationally never lost a match at the ATP 500 in Beijing and has a 29-0 record there. He lifted the trophy in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, and will be hoping to rediscover his form in one of his most successful hunting grounds.
The Serb then has semi-final points to defend at the Shanghai Masters. He reached the last four in 2025, losing to then-world No. 204 Valentin Vacherot, who went on to lift the trophy as a qualifier.
