Novak Djokovic turned back the clock on Sunday, overcoming French Open and US Open champion Alexander Zverev in a three‑set battle (4-6, 6-4, 6-4) to secure a place in the semifinals of the China Open. The 39‑year‑old Serbian not only advanced but also etched a fresh record into the Open Era by becoming the first man to start a tour‑level event with a perfect 32‑0 winning streak in Beijing.
This achievement eclipses Rafael Nadal’s previous benchmark of 31 consecutive wins at a single tournament, which Nadal set at the French Open. Djokovic entered the tournament as a six‑time Beijing champion and had previously amassed a flawless 29‑match record at the venue before a six‑year hiatus.
He returned for the first time since 2015, the year he defeated Nadal in the final to claim his sixth title there. Reflecting on his shaky beginning, Djokovic 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." Despite the rough opening, he managed to break Zverev early, giving himself a crucial lead. He later recalled the pivotal moments: "I gave him an early break and then it was hard to come back in the first set. I had a couple of break points when he was serving for the set at 5-4, but didn't use them, but I kind of felt already from midway through the first set that I was starting to get a good rhythm, at least on my serve and on serve plus one." The two had not faced each other for nearly 16 months, and Zverev started strongly, taking the first set.
Djokovic, however, gradually found his footing, refusing to let the German’s power dictate the match. The turning point arrived late in the second set when Djokovic broke Zverev’s serve at 5-4, leveling the match and shifting momentum in his favor.
The third set remained tightly contested, but once again at 5-4 Djokovic secured a decisive break on Zverev’s serve, sealing the win and moving a step closer to a seventh China Open crown. This victory also denied Zverev a chance to strengthen his pursuit of the world No. 1 ranking. With the win, Djokovic not only advanced in the tournament but also moved within striking distance of his first title of the calendar year, a prize that has eluded him despite a season hampered by injuries and inconsistent form.
Looking ahead, Djokovic’s next challenge will be a semifinal clash with Daniil Medvedev, who earlier dispatched Francisco Cerúndolo 7-6 (7-4), 6-3. By doing so, Djokovic joins an elite trio of players—Ken Rosewall, Jimmy Connors and himself—who have recorded a top‑three win after turning 39, a testament to his enduring competitiveness. "To be honest, these are the kind of moments that I still play for, compete for," Djokovic said after the match. "The motivation is big obviously when you are feeling good and competing at par with the best players in the world, in front of 15,000 people of course.
These are the kind of moments that define dreams, I think, of every tennis player. It's been a struggle this year, to be honest, for different reasons, but I'm still there, still grinding, still making the youngsters work for their money.
I'm just glad to push it through." Former British No. 1 Annabel Croft, speaking on Sky Sports Tennis, praised the encounter as "an incredible contest," adding, "Some high‑quality, absolutely fantastic tennis between two brilliant players. Why would you ever doubt Novak Djokovic even at the age of 39? The match got better and better as well, and had some different tactical shifts for Djokovic, who after the long physical points, I thought his legs were tiring, but he came back.
He threw in some drop shots, he threw in some serve‑and‑volleys early in the second set and just changed things up with the pattern of play. Djokovic came up with the answers. It was on a knife edge right to the end but what a finish and what a treat for all those fans in Beijing." Statistically, Djokovic’s 32‑0 run in Beijing now sits alongside Monica Seles’s flawless 34‑0 record at the Australian Open and Rafael Nadal’s 31‑0 streak at Roland Garros, underscoring the rarity of such dominance at a single event. Beyond the Beijing drama, the tournament also featured a swift performance from top seed Carlos Alcaráz at the Japan Open, where he reached the semifinals in just 83 minutes after Denis Shapovalov retired while trailing 7-6 (7-3), 2-1.
Fans can continue to follow the action via NOW or the Sky Sports app, which stream live coverage of both the WTA/ATP China Open and the ATP 1000 Shanghai Masters. In summary, Djokovic’s triumph over Zverev not only added another impressive chapter to his storied career but also highlighted his capacity to adapt tactically, maintain mental resilience, and deliver under pressure even as he approaches the twilight of his playing days. The upcoming semifinal against Medvedev promises to be another classic, offering a glimpse of whether the Serbian legend can convert his historic start into yet another title and perhaps secure his long‑awaited first trophy of the season.