😱🔥 DJOKOVIC SPARKS CONCERN AT CHINA OPEN – MEDICAL TIMEOUT LEAVES FANS HOLDING THEIR BREATH

Novak Djokovic has once again given tennis fans reason to worry after the Serbian superstar required a medical timeout during his dramatic China Open victory over home favourite Bu Yunchaokete.

The 39-year-old eventually fought back from a set down to defeat Bu 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 in Beijing, extending his extraordinary China Open record to 31 victories without a single defeat. But the scoreline tells only part of the story.

For long periods, Djokovic appeared to be struggling physically. During the second set, he requested medical attention and received treatment before returning to the court. It was the second consecutive match at the tournament in which he had required medical assistance, following his opening-round victory over Nuno Borges.

And what Djokovic said afterwards was arguably even more concerning than the medical timeout itself.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion made it clear that the problem cannot simply be explained by age, tiredness or a lack of stamina.

According to Djokovic, there is something else going on.

Something related to his health.

And he is still trying to understand exactly what it is.

💔 “It’s not stamina. It’s something else.”

Following his victory over Bu, Djokovic was asked about the physical difficulties he had experienced during the match.

His answer immediately attracted attention.

“This year has been a big, big struggle for me with a few particular issues,” Djokovic explained.

He then pushed back against the suggestion that his problems were simply caused by stamina.

“It’s not stamina. It’s something else. More related to health,” he said.

The Serbian did not reveal exactly what condition or problem he was dealing with.

Instead, he explained that he was working with his team to get to the bottom of it.

“I don’t want to be revealing what it is,” Djokovic said, making it clear that he was not prepared to discuss the details publicly.

That decision naturally left fans wondering.

What exactly has been affecting Djokovic throughout 2026?

And how serious is the issue?

At this stage, there is no confirmed public diagnosis from Djokovic that would answer those questions.

That uncertainty is precisely what has made his recent matches so intriguing — and worrying.

😰 Another medical timeout in Beijing

The latest episode was particularly notable because it came only two matches into Djokovic’s China Open campaign.

Against Bu, Djokovic lost the opening set 6-4 after the Chinese wildcard produced an impressive display in front of his home crowd.

The situation became even more uncomfortable for Djokovic in the second set.

After Bu moved ahead 3-2, Djokovic requested a medical timeout. He received treatment around his upper body before returning to the match.

The interruption came at a crucial moment.

Djokovic was already under pressure, having dropped the opening set and fallen behind in the second.

Yet once play resumed, the six-time China Open champion somehow managed to turn the contest around.

He forced the second set into a tiebreak and won it 7-2.

Then came the deciding set.

And that was when the veteran champion appeared to find another level.

Djokovic won the third set 6-2 to complete one of the most impressive comebacks of his Beijing return.

🔥 The body finally felt better

Perhaps the most surprising part of Djokovic’s post-match comments was that he actually felt better as the match progressed.

The Serbian explained that towards the end of the second set and throughout the third, he felt fresher.

That allowed him to play without constantly thinking about the physical problems affecting him.

“The third set today was really enjoyable from that perspective,” Djokovic said, describing it as a moment when he could finally concentrate on tennis rather than everything happening with his body.

For Djokovic, that was significant.

The issue was not simply whether he could win.

It was whether he could compete without his physical condition dominating his thoughts.

He admitted that when he feels physically uncomfortable on court, it consumes emotional, mental and physical energy that would otherwise be directed towards the match.

That creates an entirely different challenge for a player.

Every point becomes not only a battle against the opponent, but also a battle against the uncertainty surrounding his own body.

👀 A difficult season behind the scenes

The China Open scare cannot be viewed in isolation.

Djokovic has experienced several physical difficulties during a complicated 2026 campaign.

At the US Open, he suffered a shocking first-round defeat to Mariano Navone after a five-set battle. He had experienced physical problems during that match, including vomiting, while shoulder and back issues had also been reported around this period.

Before returning to Beijing, Djokovic had nevertheless expressed optimism about his condition.

He said he was feeling good during preparation and was pleased with the way his body had responded in practice.

But he also acknowledged that an official competitive match was very different from a practice session.

The first two matches in Beijing have now provided a very different test.

Against Borges, Djokovic needed medical attention during the second set before eventually winning 6-3, 7-6(2).

Then, just two days later, another medical timeout arrived against Bu.

That sequence has inevitably intensified questions about how Djokovic is coping physically.

🏆 Yet the champion keeps winning

There is another side to the story, however.

Despite the concerns, Djokovic is still producing victories.

His win over Borges extended his China Open record to 30-0.

His victory over Bu took it to 31-0.

That latest win also placed him level with Rafael Nadal’s 31-match unbeaten start at the French Open, giving Djokovic another remarkable piece of tennis history to chase.

Now he has reached the quarter-finals, where he is scheduled to face Alexander Zverev.

The achievement is even more remarkable considering that Djokovic had not played the China Open since 2015.

He returned to Beijing after an 11-year absence and immediately continued the perfect record he had built during his previous appearances.

💬 What does this mean for his future?

This is where the story becomes more complicated.

Djokovic has not announced a retirement.

Nor has he said that the current health issues mean his career is coming to an end.

In fact, his comments suggest the opposite.

He still intends to compete.

He has indicated that he plans to play the Paris Masters and would like to compete at the ATP Finals in Turin if he qualifies.

But he also admitted that his schedule beyond Beijing depends partly on how his body feels.

That is an important distinction.

The question is not simply whether Djokovic wants to continue.

It is whether his body will allow him to compete at the level he expects from himself.

At 39, every physical setback naturally attracts greater attention.

But Djokovic himself has resisted reducing the situation to age or stamina.

He says there are specific health-related issues that he and his team are still investigating.

Until he chooses to reveal more, the precise nature of those problems remains unknown.

❤️ Still fighting

Perhaps the most striking image from Beijing is not the medical timeout.

It is what happened afterwards.

Djokovic returned to the court.

He recovered from a set down.

He survived a dangerous opponent playing in front of a passionate home crowd.

And when the match reached its decisive stage, he found enough physically and mentally to take control.

That is the part of Djokovic’s career that continues to fascinate tennis fans.

Even when questions surround his body, his competitive instinct remains unmistakable.

The China Open has once again reminded everyone why he has built such an extraordinary record in Beijing.

But it has also revealed something more vulnerable.

For perhaps the first time in a long while, the biggest question surrounding Djokovic is not whether he can beat his opponent.

It is whether he can keep his own body on his side.

For now, the answer is still yes.

But Djokovic’s own words suggest that the battle away from the scoreboard may be just as important as the one taking place on court.

And as the Serbian legend moves into the next stage of his China Open campaign, fans will undoubtedly be watching every movement, every change of expression and every visit from the medical team.

Because Djokovic may still be winning.

But behind those victories, something remains unresolved.

And even the champion himself admits that he is still searching for the answer.