Once again, Novak Djokovic showed everyone he is far from being done on the ATP Tour at this year’s China Open.

The Serb flew to Asia off the back of a very disappointing North American hard-court swing, during which he crashed out in the opening rounds of both the Cincinnati Open and the US Open. But in Beijing, Djokovic produced an incredible campaign to secure his 102nd tour-level crown and become the first player ever to win an ATP title every year for 21 straight seasons.

He also extended his remarkable China Open undefeated streak to 34-0, surpassing Rafael Nadal’s Roland Garros record for the most consecutive wins at a single event from their tournament debut.

Patrick Mouratoglou discusses Novak Djokovic’s motivation

Djokovic is now bidding to qualify for the ATP Finals for the 17th time in his career, and Serena Williams’ former coach, Patrick Mouratoglou, thinks he will do just that. “I put Novak Djokovic in the top 8 at the end of the season,” said Mouratoglou in a post on LinkedIn.

“That might surprise you, especially coming from me. At the US Open, I said something that shocked a lot of people: Novak’s problem isn’t physical. It’s mental, and linked to his lack of preparation. A lot of his fans came after me for it. Then he won Beijing.

“So, did I change my mind? No. Look at his first two rounds there. Same story as before: ‘I feel sick’. He calls the doctor. He looks like he’s dying on court. He’s not playing well, and he drops sets. He could have lost in the first round. Really.

“He could have lost in the second round. But he found a way. I don’t know how, but he found a way. Then, as always, the more matches he wins, the more the stress of losing to ‘those guys’ goes away. Against Zverev, he had nothing to lose. He was loose. He played his real level. And that level is still amazing. His tennis and his fitness are huge.

Who is the best men’s player in the world right now?

Take your pick…

“It’s not tennis. It’s not fitness. It’s mental. I know it sounds crazy. A guy with 24 Grand Slams, nervous against the world No. 16 in a first round? It makes no sense. For me, it makes complete sense. He cares. He cares so much.

“Think of going into an exam you don’t feel ready for… Same here. So my diagnosis hasn’t changed. But Beijing showed something new. Something that can bring a certain Novak back: Chasing records. In Beijing, he had one within reach: 34 straight wins at the same tournament. 34-0. He went for it, and he got it.

“That’s who Novak is. He needs something big. A long time ago, a Masters 1000 was enough. Then it was the Grand Slams. After winning so many of both, he needs something extra. At 39, that extra can only come from records.

“And the good news is that every month now brings new records within his reach. If we want to help Novak get motivated, we have to find him records to beat. Playing the ATP Finals at 39? If nobody has ever done it, he’ll show up. I’m sure of it. If the record turns out to be at 40, he’ll wait until next year.”

Djokovic, a record seven-time champion at the ATP Finals, last failed to qualify for the year-end tournament back in 2017. He is currently 11th in the race to Turin, where the event is held, and needs to be eighth or higher to make the cut.