An uncommon element about Novak Djokovic‘s seventh China Open title was that the last three matches of the match all ended without a match level being performed. Daniil Medvedev was defaulted for hitting a spectator with a ball, and both semi-finalists in the other half of the draw, Hubert Hurkacz and Alex de Minaur, finally retired with damage, the latter in the ultimate itself.
That takes nothing away from Djokovic, who has endured a typically rather torrid yr but performed some classic tennis in Beijing. But it once again shines an uncomfortable highlight on two points tennis refuses to reckon with: participant behaviour, and the much-maligned calendar and its affect on the accidents which have ripped through the Tour of late.
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Medvedev’s act of recklessness means he leaves Beijing with no ATP factors and no prize money to show for a fantastic run to the semi-finals. But he at least leaves with his physique intact. Hurkacz and De Minaur, the latter pictured preventing back tears after a groin damage, now face indefinite lay-offs and their knock-on results. The Australian is at the moment tenth in the dwell ATP rankings and in with a shout of reaching the season-ending Finals. Djokovic may now sneak in instead.
This unexpectedly attritional version of the China Open was adopted by the information that world No 1 Jannik Sinner has opted to finish his season prematurely to endure remedy on a knee damage. The subject has saved him out of motion since he won Wimbledon in early July; he will now not be seen until January at the earliest.
It was telling that the 25-year-old – he is still only 25 – said he “needed to think about my long-term career” when saying the choice. The Italian won 5 Masters 1000 tournaments in a row from March to May, 4 of them widely-reviled two-week occasions, with little time to get well in between. Sinner made historical past as the youngest man to full the profession set of Masters. But at what price?
Sinner has not competed since lifting the Wimbledon trophy (PA Wire)
His rival Carlos Alcaraz is only just back from the wrist damage which sidelined him for almost 5 months. After 2025 was the yr of “Sincaraz”, where the pair break up the 4 slams and contested a sequence of finals, including the electrifying French Open showpiece, 2026 has been an absolute dud. The sport’s two largest stars only met once, in the Monte Carlo ultimate, and have barely been match at the same time. Tennis’ damage disaster is larger than two males – but it is damning for a sport competing for airtime and storylines, that its best attraction has been a full footnote to the season.
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It would not be so dangerous if there was a supporting forged ready to take up their mantle, but many of their technology have been sidelined too: Holger Rune has only just returned from an achilles tear sustained this time last yr; Jack Draper is a everlasting fixture of the physio room having once been world No 4; Arthur Fils missed his home slam with a hip damage before underlining his potential – if he can keep injury-free – by profitable his maiden Masters 1000 title in Cincinnati.
In the absence of younger starlets Alexander Zverev, absolutely the most over-promoted man in tennis, has won two grand slam titles, meting out with just two top-10 opponents in the course of. And while Djokovic has failed to take his probabilities on the largest stage, and has struggled with the sluggish, inevitable deterioration of his physique, the 39-year-old is still one of the best energetic gamers – memorably beating Zverev on his means to the Beijing title. He has made an artwork kind out of enjoying a closely diminished calendar to shield his physique; Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka have both said they too will now begin skipping obligatory tournaments for the sake of their own longevity.
Djokovic rolled back the years in Beijing (Getty)
This half of the season usually feels like both Tours fall off a cliff, the momentum which sustains gamers and viewers all the means through the grand slams abruptly vanishing. Emma Navarro, a former US Open semi-finalist, is another to miss out on this Asian swing completely to put together for 2027, after opening up about a sequence of debilitating health circumstances which left her exhausted, ravenous and mentally drained all through 2023 and 2024.
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When the sport pushes gamers to such extremes, it’s most likely time for it to rethink some issues. Maybe an low season which at least extends into the following calendar yr would help, rather than the Australian Open build-up starting even before New Year’s Eve.
Navarro is one of comparatively few high-profile WTA Tour gamers sidelined in contrast to the slew on the ATP, but gamers from both sides have been vocal about the toll accidents are taking. It is vastly vital that one of the key points of 2026, the gamers’ dispute with the Tours over prize money and percentages, has been sidelined, with gamers now focusing on calendar reform instead and changing into more and more vocal about the injury their our bodies are sustaining. Enough is enough, they have said. But what will change?
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