BEIJING: Juan Martin del Potro suffered a shock defeat in the China Open final on Sunday, losing 6-4, 6-4 to unseeded Nikoloz Basilashvili of Georgia.
The Argentine top seed has been suffering with a cold in Beijing, but it was not immediately clear how much that had hindered his performance.
It is only the second title of 34th-ranked Basilashvili's career.
The all-action 26-year-old immediately broke Del Potro's serve in the first game and appeared unfazed by his opponent's stellar reputation.
Del Potro, the world number four who reached the final of the US Open, is enjoying one of the finest seasons of a career once in danger of being destroyed by wrist injuries.
But the 30-year-old never looked close to his best against Basilashvili, who won his maiden ATP title in Hamburg in July.