Djokovic is already concerning even when he wins

It hurts a lot to see Novak Djokovic in his current form. As has been the case in recent tournaments, today was another proof that the Serbian tennis player's physique is no longer what it used to be, despite an epic comeback against Yunchaokete Bu at the ATP Beijing with a score of 4-6, 7-6, and 6-2 after two hours and 43 minutes of battle.

In terms of results, the Serbian's bond with this tournament is admirable, as he has an unblemished record of 31-0, having lifted the title 6 times. However, Novak will have to reconsider many things before the end of the season, as he once again had to call for the physio to treat his abdomen and hip, which has become a common sight in every tournament he competes in. The level he showed in the third set is incredible, but the alarms are still ringing.

Djokovic loses the first set at the ATP Beijing for the first time in 31 matches

The match began with maximum equality, both players relying on their serves to maintain the balance. Djokovic was responsible for executing the best shots, but little by little his physical condition was wearing down against the Chinese player's strategy, which was based on moving the Serbian around with angles, and he would soon reap his rewards. Just as in previous tournaments, Nole's feeling was one of fragility, that his body could give out at any moment.

At 3-3, a visibly more tired Novak emerged, which Bu took advantage of to increase the pace and achieve a break on his fourth attempt despite Nole's resilience, who saved the previous three with great points. From then on, the set had little story, as Djokovic showed solid service but could do little on return largely due to Bu's merit. 6-4 for the Chinese player, and it was the first time in 31 matches that Novak lost the first set of a match in the tournament. 

Djokovic triggers alarms but relies on epic comebacks 

Instead of falling apart, Novak started the second set with determination, and in the second game on return, he achieved the long-awaited break after a point where he defended himself tooth and nail and caused Bu's error. However, far from celebrating, he requested the towel with somewhat trembling hands in another clear symptom that he was at his limit. In fact, his joy lasted only a few minutes, as immediately after Yunchaokete repaid the favor with another break that became a burden for the Serbian player.

That's when Novak called for a medical timeout due to an issue with his abdomen and hip, which fully triggered the alarms. Still, he had a break point in the next game, but Bu resolved the problem after signing several highlight points, leveling it at 3-3. At 4-3, the Serbian player had two break points again, but once more the Chinese player produced his best shots to extinguish the fire. In this dynamic, they reached the tiebreak, where both played at a very high level and the tension was palpable, but the Serbian relied on experience to take the match to the final set.

Djokovic delivers a flawless third set

From that moment Bu collapsed due to the missed opportunity, while Djokovic got a second wind and broke the Chinese player's serve right at the beginning of the third set to set the course for victory. At that point, Yunchaokete completely lowered his arms, also influenced by seeing how even his own crowd was in favor of the Serbian legend, leading to another break that put Nole ahead 4-0. 

The match was already decided, and Novak finished it off with a definitive 6-2, allowing him to maintain his unbeaten record in Beijing in one of the most challenging matches he has played on this court. Today he had two rivals, Bu and himself, so everyone will be waiting to see what he says in the press conference to find out his current state.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Djokovic ya preocupa hasta cuando gana