Novak Djokovic delivered a vintage performance in Beijing on Sunday, overcoming top seed Alexander Zverev with a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory to advance to the China Open semi-finals. The 39-year-old Serbian, who continues to be a massive crowd favorite, extended his impressive winning streak to 32 matches after a grueling battle that lasted two hours and 34 minutes. Where he extended an astonishing winning streak to 32 matches and is a firm fan favourite, the 39-year-old Serbian electrified a packed crowd in Beijing.
Reflecting on the triumph, the 24-time Grand Slam champion noted that matches of this caliber serve as “evidence to me that I can still beat the best players in the world on the biggest stage.” He admitted that maintaining a peak performance level is increasingly challenging against younger competitors, stating, “Things are a bit different nowadays. It’s hard to be consistently playing on the highest level like the youngsters.”
The path to victory was far from simple for Djokovic, who struggled early after double-faulting twice in the opening game. Tensions also rose during the match when the umpire ordered a replay of a point won by Djokovic, following complaints from Zverev regarding flickering LED panels. Despite these setbacks and facing 19 aces from his opponent, Djokovic relied on “high-risk tennis” and a diverse shot selection to turn the tide. He noted that feeling “physically pretty good,” despite dealing with health issues throughout the year, was crucial to his resurgence.
After dropping the first set, Djokovic rallied in the second, sealing it with a decisive cross-court winner. He remained composed under pressure in the final set, breaking the world number two’s serve in the closing stages to secure the match. This win marks one of his standout performances this year, drawing comparisons to his intense five-set battle against Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open.
Djokovic is now set to face Daniil Medvedev, who reached the semi-finals by defeating Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (7/4), 6-3. In the other half of the draw, Hubert Hurkacz secured his place in the final four after overcoming Karen Khachanov. He will meet Alex de Minaur, who successfully navigated a difficult three-set test against Andrey Rublev, finishing 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
