Novak Djokovic overcame persistent injury concerns to secure a hard-fought 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over top seed Alexander Zverev on Sunday, keeping his unbeaten record at the China Open alive. Returning to the ATP 500 event in Beijing for the first time since 2015, the six-time tournament champion demonstrated his trademark resilience against the reigning French and US Open winner.
Zverev provided a stern test throughout the two-hour and 35-minute encounter, landing 19 aces against his opponent. The German powerhouse capitalized on a sluggish start from the Serbian, who struggled with the chilly evening conditions. Djokovic later admitted, “I had a terrible start – two double faults at the beginning. It was quite cold, and honestly, I didn’t feel warmed up, but my fault. I gave him an early break, and then it was hard to come back in the first set.” Meeting for the first time in nearly 16 months, Djokovic struggled to contain the German’s power in the early stages as the 29-year-old Zverev claimed the opening set, but the Serb gradually worked his way into the match and refused to let his opponent pull away.
The match saw a flash of tension when a section of the electronic advertising boards went dark during a rally. After losing the point, Zverev successfully appealed for a replay. Though the lights had flickered, the interruption caused a sharp exchange from a frustrated Djokovic, who disagreed with the chair umpire’s decision to restart the point. The contest was briefly interrupted by a moment of controversy when Zverev argued that the electronic 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 although not as Zverev was missing the forehand.
Momentum shifted definitively late in the second set when Djokovic managed to break serve at 5-4. He replicated that clinical pressure in the final set, breaking Zverev again at 5-4 to clinch the match. Explaining his tactical adjustments, Djokovic noted, “I was trying to be aggressive and come to the net and change up the pace, not giving the same pattern. I am just glad that I held my nerves, played good shots at important moments.” Shifting the momentum in his favour after a tightly contested battle, the turning point came late in the second set when Djokovic broke at 5-4 to level the match. The Serbian struck again at 5-4 on the Zverev serve, securing the decisive break to seal the victory in two hours and 35 minutes, with little separating the pair in the third.
This victory, the first meeting between the two since the 2025 Roland Garros, moves Djokovic closer to his seventh title in Beijing. He now prepares for a semifinal clash against Daniil Medvedev, who progressed by defeating Francisco Cerundolo 7-6(4), 6-3. Where Djokovic won in four sets, and Sunday’s encounter again highlighted the Serb’s ability to deliver under pressure despite a season disrupted by physical issues, the pair had not met since Roland Garros in 2025.
In other tennis news, world number one Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from the upcoming Wuhan Open, scheduled for October 12-18, due to an ongoing foot injury. The 27-year-old suffered a shock exit in her opening match at the China Open, falling to world number 118 Alina Charaeva.
Rybakina has been managing a recurring lower leg and foot issue that previously forced her retirement during a Cincinnati quarterfinal against Iga Swiatek in August. Despite those health hurdles, the Kazakh player successfully competed at the US Open, winning her third Grand Slam title and securing a spot at the WTA Finals.
Addressing her fans via an Instagram story, Rybakina said, “I’m very sorry to the fans who were looking forward to seeing me play. I’ll take some time to rest and recover. Thank you for your understanding and continued support.” She is currently expected to return to competition later this month to defend her title at the Ningbo Open.
