Djokovic wins first match since Wimbledon in China

Novak Djokovic secured his first victory since reaching the Wimbledon semi‑finals in July, defeating Nuno Borges 6‑3, 7‑6 (7‑2) at the China Open. The 39‑year‑old former world No. 1, who had not played in Beijing since 2015, overcame a shaky second set to claim his 30th straight win at the tournament, finishing in one hour and 50 minutes. Djokovic disclosed in August that he has been dealing with an underlying wellness condition that creates particular problems in hot, humid environments for "the past mates of years". During the second set he used his racquet to ease his back between games and required a medical timeout for treatment on his right shoulder. Despite those challenges, he battled through to set up a second‑round encounter with wildcard Bu Yunchaokete of China. A 24‑time Grand Slam champion, Djokovic is appearing at the China Open for the first time in 11 years and is chasing a record‑extending seventh title. In the women’s draw, Great Britain’s Katie Boulter advanced to the second round with a straight‑set 6‑3, 6‑4 victory over Mai Hontama of Japan. The 30‑year‑old will now face seventh‑seed Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic.