Lying on his back to receive medical treatment during a match. That has been a scene fans have associated a lot more with Novak Djokovic in 2026. There have not been too many matches this year in which the 24-time Major champion has not had a health scare, and his match against Bu Yunchaokete at the China Open was no exception. However, much to the joy of his fans, the Serb battled through his physical struggles, a point he elaborated on after the match.

“People mix it up. It’s not stamina. It’s something else. More related to health,” said Djokovic in his post-match press conference. “This year has been a big, big struggle for me with a few particular issues that I’ve been having. I’ve been just trying to find different ways to be at least giving myself a decent condition physically and health-wise to be on the court and compete with the player across the net.”

Djokovic is not wrong in differentiating between his stamina and health issues, as the Serb has played some extremely long matches this year. At Wimbledon, he went toe-to-toe with Felix Auger-Aliassime for more than five hours to win the longest quarterfinal in the tournament’s history. Even though he looked tired in the latter stages of the match, the Serb’s ability to win long rallies and raise his level in the fifth-set tiebreak was comparable to that of Djokovic in his peak years.

However, there is no denying that Djokovic has struggled with his health this season, especially in the couple of matches he played during the North American hard courts. During his match against Thiago Agustin Tirante in Cincinnati, the Serb faded away physically after winning the first set. Visibly exhausted and vomiting on the court, he could not put up much resistance as his Argentine opponent raced away in the next two sets.

The same trend was visible in New York as well, when Djokovic faced Mariano Navone in the first round. Despite being in an advantageous position in the match, the Serb once again struggled physically, calling out the physio in the fourth set. Suffering from exhaustion and struggling with his back, the Serb made an opening round exit at a Slam after two decades, having lost eleven of the last twelve games in the match.

A similar scare was present during the match against Bu in Beijing as well. Having lost the first set, Djokovic called for a medical timeout in the second set while having a 3-2 lead. Given his recent trends, there was an obvious cause for worry, especially with the home favorite breaking back the Serb’s serve at 3-1. However, on this occasion, the Serb was able to use his experience to take the second set to a tiebreak, where he closed it out at 7-2.

Once in the third set, Djokovic was in his element, racing off to a 4-0 lead, which was enough for him to win the match. In the third set, the Serb was in full flow, retrieving balls from the corners and hitting winners off his signature two-handed backhand down the line. The fact that he was able to raise his level in the third hour of his match justifies the argument that his physical issues are not related to stamina.

The win meant Djokovic kept his streak in Beijing alive while expressing his desire to be in Turin in 2026.

Novak Djokovic Keeps His Beijing Streak Alive While Having Eyes on Turin

The win over Bu took Djokovic’s Beijing win-loss record to 31-0. The Serb is a six-time champion of the tournament, making an appearance at the event for the first time in a decade this year. However, even though keeping the streak alive will motivate the Serb, he has his sights set on something bigger this year.

“At the moment I’m also not really qualified yet for the race, for the Turin. I mean, this year I would like to play if I qualify,” said Djokovic in his press conference. “I’m planning also to play Paris Bercy.”

The last time Djokovic did not qualify for the ATP Finals was back in 2017. Since then, the Serb has made it to the year-ending championships for eight years in a row, even though he skipped it in the previous two editions despite securing qualification. This year, however, it will be a challenge for the Serb if he has to make it to Turin, as he is currently No.11 on the Race Rankings.

If Djokovic has to qualify for Turin, a title in Beijing will be the best place to start. Should the Serb win his seventh title in the tournament, he can move up to ninth spot on the rankings, but with possible clashes against the likes of Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev, it is easier said than done.

After Beijing, Djokovic will have the two Masters events left in Shanghai and Paris, which will be crucial events for the Serb if he intends to qualify for the Finals. He has won the Shanghai Masters four times in his career, and reached the final and semifinal at the competition in the last two years. However, given the venue’s hot, humid conditions, it remains to be seen whether the Serb will play this year, especially given his health concerns.

Djokovic has an even better record at the Paris Masters, having won the title seven times. He has not been at the event since 2023, but in the last five editions he has played, he has reached the final every time and won the title thrice. While the past suggests that there is still a great chance for Djokovic to qualify for Turin, it is the present struggles that make the challenge even harder.