‘Destined’ Djokovic extends unbeaten record

BEIJING — Tennis great Novak Djokovic credited his “never-die spirit” for carrying him to the 102nd title of his career as he won the China Open on Tuesday night when his opponent Alex de Minaur retired injured from the final. With the win, the 39-year-old Serbian extended a perfect record to 34 wins in as many matches for his seventh title in Beijing — his first since 2015. Djokovic said afterward that in more than two decades as a professional player, “the grit and the dedication, and the kind of never-die spirit that really is always with me” have carried him through. Tennis is “quite a cruel sport” with players competing in knock-out tournaments year-round, Djokovic told reporters, adding that the stakes and pressure of performing in front of fans made the sport “so demanding and so special.” “You can feel so much weight on your shoulders, but it is what I have been destined to do,” he said. In front of a jam-packed stadium, Djokovic won the first set in the tiebreak 7-6 (7/3) and was down a game in the second set when the Australian ended the match early. “I always want to visualize myself with the trophy, particularly here in Beijing,” Djokovic said...