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Novak Djokovic extended his unbeaten record in Beijing on Wednesday, beating Nuno Borges 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) at the China Open after staying composed through a tense tie-break, the game played to decide a set that reached 6-6.
The 39-year-old Serbian, who was battling physical problems, got through the second-set tie-break to claim his first victory at any tournament since Wimbledon in July.
The former world number one will next face Chinese wildcard Bu Yunchaokete, a player given entry by the organizers without qualifying through the rankings, in the second round.
Fans packed the stands in Beijing to watch Djokovic, a firm favorite in China who has never lost in Beijing in 30 matches, although this was his first match at the event since 2015.
He delighted the crowd with an ace to end the first game and saved two break points after a pair of double faults to win the first set.
Djokovic has had health issues in recent months and struggled to pick up points at the start of the second set, using his racket to stretch his back between games and needing a medical timeout as a trainer worked on his right shoulder.
But he forced a path to victory in one hour and 50 minutes, clinching it when Borges, the world number 49 from Portugal, returned into the net. It preserved Djokovic's winning streak in Beijing, where he has won six titles.
Earlier, Karen Khachanov swept aside second seed Felix Auger-Aliassime 6-3, 6-3 in their first-round meeting.
Khachanov, the world number 26, won three straight games, taking the first set in 31 minutes. The 30-year-old then kept his cool to break Auger-Aliassime on the first match point, wrapping things up in one hour and 11 minutes.
He faces either Arthur Rinderknech of France or qualifier Alex Molcan of Slovakia in the round of 16. Khachanov brushed off suggestions he had Auger-Aliassime's card marked following his second statement win over the Canadian world number five in a matter of weeks.
"It was a tough match," the Russian, who triumphed at the U.S. Open, said. "When you approach this match, you are thinking it's a completely new match, completely different. In China, in Beijing. Different court, different balls.
"You just focus again from zero. You know what you did well... and you just try to keep the momentum going. There is not much secret about it."
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