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Freedom251 › Blog › China Open

Djokovic Says 2026 Season Has Been “a Big, Big Struggle” After Another Medical Timeout

By Freedom251 Team · · 2 min read

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Novak Djokovic won his China Open last-16 match against Bu Yunchaokete after needing another medical timeout, then described his 2026 season as “a big, big struggle.” He said the difficulty was related to his health, not stamina, but declined to identify the issue. No diagnosis has been made public in the report.

Djokovic rallied to beat Bu Yunchaokete in Beijing

Djokovic came back from a set down to defeat China’s Bu Yunchaokete 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 in the last 16 of the China Open on October 2, 2026, according to Reuters. Bu was ranked world No. 104 in the report.

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The timeout was not the first of Djokovic’s Beijing run: Reuters reported that he had also needed medical attention during his opening-round win over Portugal’s Nuno Borges. An Arab News photo caption dates that match to September 30.

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Reuters reported Djokovic’s China Open record as 31-0, with six titles at the tournament and his most recent title there coming in 2015. Those figures describe the record reported during the 2026 event.

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He described a health-related problem, not a stamina issue

At a news conference, Djokovic said he did not want to go into details because it could sound like he was “whining about something or looking for excuses.” He described the season as “a big, big struggle” and said he had been trying to find ways to be in decent physical and health condition to compete.

He drew a distinction between the problem and stamina: “It’s not stamina. It’s something else. More related to health.” That is Djokovic’s own characterization, not a medical diagnosis. He did not specify the underlying issue, and Reuters reported that he and his team were still trying to get to its root.

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Djokovic said he felt better as the match progressed

Despite needing treatment, Djokovic said he felt fresher late in the match than at the start. He told reporters that he had “broken through” in the third set, describing the improvement as something he had not experienced so far that year.

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What the US Open reports do—and do not—establish

Reuters also reported that Djokovic, whom it described as a 24-time Grand Slam champion, suffered a first-round loss at the US Open—his earliest Grand Slam defeat since the 2006 Australian Open. Reuters said he vomited midway through that match and had back and shoulder issues affecting his serve late in it.

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Those reported events provide context for a difficult season, but they do not identify the health issue Djokovic declined to discuss. The available account does not establish that the US Open symptoms or serve problems caused the medical timeouts in Beijing.

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China OpenNovak Djokovicsports newsTennis

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