Borges adds pressure on Djokovic ahead of their duel in Beijing

Novak Djokovic will return to the courts of the ATP Beijing in 2026. Djokovic's next match in Beijing will be against Nuno Borges with the aim of maintaining his immaculate streak, as he has not lost in any of his participations. The Portuguese player is aware of this statistic and has used it to put extra pressure on Nole before the duel.

It is true that Djokovic is going through one of the worst streaks of his career, having dropped out of the top 10 and coming off losing in the first round at both the ATP Cincinnati and the US Open, showing signs of physical problems that do not seem to have a short-term solution. Borges knows he has a golden opportunity to cause an upset, and he made this clear in the press conference prior to the match.

"That statistic is crazy. Perhaps that puts even more pressure on him. I remember him playing indoors and on hard courts in general. I think he has been very, very solid, with an impressive win record. In a way, it doesn't surprise me, but it's still an incredible statistic. I played a good match against him and had some break point opportunities at the end of the first set, if I’m not mistaken," he concluded.

Borges defends Djokovic against criticism

The last time Borges faced Djokovic was at the ATP Athens last year, where the Serb took the victory in two tight sets and subsequently in the tournament. Nuno did not feel far from Nole's level, so he is confident that this time will be different. However, he does not buy into the opinion of those who claim that Novak has lost his essence. “I was right there. I don't see why I can't push myself a little more. I know it’s a big challenge. It will make me play very well from the start. I don't feel any pressure. I will try to enjoy it as much as possible. You can still sense that aura. He still presents himself very well, so I don't think he's losing that,” he said.

Even so, the Portuguese player prefers to normalize the fact of facing the GOAT of tennis, as otherwise he would enter the court with part of the match lost. “For me, that aura is a bit like the pressure you feel when he crosses the room or enters the locker room. I think it’s something you get used to as a player. In the end, you are going to face him. You are going to play on the same court as him," he concluded. 

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Borges añade presión a Djokovic antes de su duelo en Pekín