Novak Djokovic produced another trademark comeback on Sunday, defeating top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to reach the China Open semifinals in Beijing.
The six-time champion, competing at the ATP 500 event for the first time since 2015, was pushed hard by Zverev but recovered from a slow start to extend his unbeaten record at the tournament.
Zverev Takes Early Control
Djokovic struggled to find his rhythm in the opening set as Zverev used his powerful serve and groundstrokes to take control.
The German, the reigning French Open and US Open champion, fired 19 aces during the match and broke Djokovic early after the Serbian made two double faults.
“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,” Djokovic said.
Zverev eventually secured the opening set 6-4.
Controversial Moment Interrupts Match
The match was briefly interrupted by a dispute involving the LED advertising boards around the court.
Zverev argued that part of the signage had gone dark during a rally and requested a video review after losing the point. Replays showed that a section of the advertising display had indeed switched off, although it did not happen as Zverev was playing his forehand.
The chair umpire ordered the point to be replayed, leading to a frustrated exchange between Djokovic and the official.
Djokovic Turns the Match Around
The momentum began to shift late in the second set. With the score tied at 5-4, Djokovic broke Zverev’s serve to level the match at one set apiece.
The Serbian then maintained his composure in a closely fought deciding set, continuing to vary the pace and attack the net.
At 5-4, Djokovic produced another crucial break on Zverev’s serve to complete the comeback after two hours and 35 minutes.
“I was trying to be aggressive and come to the net, and change up the pace, not giving the same pattern,” Djokovic said.
Djokovic Closes in on Seventh China Open Title
The victory marked another impressive display of Djokovic’s ability to perform under pressure, despite a season affected by physical problems.
It was also the first meeting between Djokovic and Zverev in nearly 16 months. Their previous encounter came at the 2025 French Open, where Djokovic also prevailed in four sets.
Djokovic is now one step closer to a seventh China Open title and is also chasing his first trophy of the year.
Medvedev Awaits in the Semifinals
Djokovic will face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals.
The Russian advanced earlier on Sunday after defeating Francisco Cerundolo 7-6(4), 6-3.
The semifinal will give Djokovic another opportunity to continue his Beijing campaign and move closer to ending his season-long wait for a title.