An unusual detail about Novak Djokovic’s seventh China Open title was that the last three matches of the tournament all ended without a match point being played. 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, ultimately retired with injury, the latter in the final itself.
That takes nothing away from Djokovic, who has endured a generally rather torrid year but played some vintage tennis in Beijing. But it once again shines an uncomfortable spotlight on two issues tennis refuses to reckon with: player behaviour, and the much-maligned calendar and its impact on the injuries which have ripped through the Tour of late.
