Novak Djokovic extended his unbeaten record in the China Open tournament with a thrilling 4-6 6-4 6-4 victory over top seed Alexander Zverev on Sunday. The six-time champion was pushed to the limit by the reigning French Open and US Open champion, who delivered 19 aces in the match. Playing in Beijing for the first time since 2015, Djokovic struggled to contain Zverev's power in the early stages, allowing the German to claim the opening set.
The match was marked by a moment of controversy when Zverev argued that LED advertising signage had gone dark during a rally and requested a video review after losing the point. Replays showed a section of the signage had switched off, though not as Zverev was missing the forehand. The chair umpire ordered the point to be replayed, prompting a frustrated exchange from Djokovic. Despite this, Djokovic managed to regain his composure and turn the match around.
Djokovic attributed his slow start to the chilly conditions and his own errors, stating that he had a "terrible start" with two double faults at the beginning of the match. He also acknowledged that it was hard to come back in the first set after giving Zverev an early break. However, the Serb gradually worked his way into the match and refused to let his opponent pull away.
The turning point came late in the second set when Djokovic broke at 5-4 to level the match, shifting the momentum in his favour after a tightly contested battle. With little separating the pair in the third, the Serbian struck again at 5-4 on the Zverev serve, securing the decisive break to seal victory in 2hr 35min.
Djokovic's victory marked his first win over Zverev in nearly 16 months, since their meeting at Roland Garros in 2025, where Djokovic won in four sets. Sunday's encounter again highlighted the Serb's ability to deliver under pressure despite a season disrupted by physical issues. With the win, Djokovic moved a step closer to a seventh China Open title and an elusive first trophy of the year.
In other matches, Aryna Sabalenka crashed out of the China Open in the third round following a 6-4 6-3 defeat by Czech Nikola Bartunkova. The world No 2 was broken in the opening game and squandered five opportunities to break back in the sixth game of the first set before going on to lose the match in an hour and 35 minutes.
Djokovic will face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals after the Russian defeated Francisco Cerundolo 7-6(4) 6-3 earlier on Sunday. With this win, Djokovic also denied Zverev another opportunity to strengthen his bid for the world No 1 ranking.
Key points
- Djokovic extended his unbeaten record in the China Open tournament with a thrilling victory over Zverev.
- Aryna Sabalenka lost to Czech Nikola Bartunkova in the third round of the China Open.
- Djokovic will face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals of the China Open.
