The major challenges that make Djokovic play in Beijing
The Serbian has made a bold decision by competing in the Beijing tournament from October 30 to November 6. What historical objectives does he have with this maneuver?
Novak Djokovic will be at the ATP 500 Beijing 2026, to the surprise and delight of all tennis lovers. It is not common to see the Serbian in tournaments of this category lately, but his early elimination from the US Open and the opportunity to achieve memorable feats in tennis history may have led him to make this decision.
The question that lingers in the minds of any fan right now is clear: Why does the Serbian decide to compete in an ATP 500? The Serbian's main goal is the Grand Slams, and with that chapter closed for this season, many expected that he would not even return to compete or would limit his appearances to the Masters 1000. Well, with this move, Novak shows his desire to continue competing, although many see it as a possible farewell to one of his favorite events.
What challenges have driven Djokovic to play in Beijing?
Whether out of ambition or complacency, the truth is that the Serbian will compete from September 30 to October 6 in the capital of China. In a natural competitor like him, it is logical to think that he still sees himself with options to compete as long as his body allows, and that he is already thinking about the 2027 Australian Open, aware that he needs to gain competitive rhythm and confidence.
However, competing in Beijing would not have been necessary for that. His presence in an event where he has won 6 titles in 6 participations, with a record of 29-0 represents a clear challenge to himself and to history, jeopardizing an unbeaten record that constitutes one of the most astonishing statistics of his career.
In any case, one more title in this setting would elevate him to an even higher status and allow him to tackle two significant short-term goals. And even though Grand Slams are no longer in play, it could motivate Djokovic to fulfill two really interesting historical goals.
Djokovic will seek the historical record of weeks in the top-10
Novak's exit from the top 10 has been a turning point in his recent career. The Serbian has accumulated a staggering 959 weeks in the ATP top 10, making this the second best record of all time. He is just 9 weeks away from tying Roger Federer, who leads the list with 968 weeks, and many believe that Novak could reach 1,000 weeks in this elite club.
📊 Players with the most weeks in the Top10 of the ATP Ranking (1973-2026/Men’s Singles):
🇨🇭 Roger Federer 968
🇷🇸 Novak Djokovic | 959
🇪🇸 Rafa Nadal | 912
📍Will the Serbian regain a spot among the ten best tennis players in the world? pic.twitter.com/pwtMNJnEP0— MisterOnly.Tennis (@OnlyRogerCanFly) September 16, 2026
To achieve this, he needs to return as soon as possible, and he is currently in 12th position, less than 200 points behind Fritz, who occupies the tenth spot. Accumulating victories in Beijing could allow him to return to the top 10 and continue adding weeks to that statistical aspiration to conquer, dethroning Federer from the top.
Will Djokovic push to seek a ticket to the 2026 ATP Finals?
A total of 450 points separate Novak Djokovic in the ATP Race from the positions that grant the right to compete in the 2026 ATP Finals. Despite how many times the Serbian has attended this event, it could be an ideal preparation for the next season's event that gathers the best of the season.
Djokovic would need to finish the season strongly to aim for that, with the events in Beijing and Shanghai being priorities on his calendar if he truly feels this desire. Depending on his tennis performance and the attitude he brings to these events, it will be possible to discern whether Novak Djokovic is embarking on a sort of farewell tour or if he truly has these objectives in mind and eagerly seeks to continue growing his legend.
This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Los grandes retos que hacen a Djokovic jugar en Pekín