India, Sept. 29 -- Novak Djokovic returns to competitive tennis at the China Open 2026 in Beijing on Wednesday, looking to put behind a difficult run that saw him suffer first-round defeats at both the Cincinnati Open and US Open. The 39-year-old was beaten by Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante in Cincinnati before Mariano Navone stunned him in a five-set US Open battle, 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. The loss to Navone was Djokovic's first opening-round defeat at the US Open and his earliest Grand Slam exit since 2006.

Now, Djokovic is returning to one of his happy hunting grounds, Beijing, the next stop in an otherwise forgettable 2026 season. He has not played the China Open since 2015 but has won the tournament on all six previous appea...