Djokovic rallies past Zverev 4-6 6-4 6-4 to reach China Open semi-finals

Novak Djokovic defeated Alexander Zverev 4-6 6-4 6-4 in Beijing at the China Open on 4 October 2026 to reach the tournament semi-finals. He will play Daniil Medvedev in the last four.

Djokovic, the 39-year-old Serbian and 24-time Grand Slam winner, last won a major at the US Open in 2023. Zverev entered the match as the top seed and world number two and was described in the report as the 29-year-old German; their meeting was their first in just under 16 months. Djokovic referenced the crowd of 15,000 in his post-match comments.

Zverev seized the opening set after breaking in the first game as Djokovic initially struggled to handle his power. Djokovic regained momentum by breaking at 5-4 in the second set to level the match. The third set remained close until Djokovic again broke at 5-4 on Zverev's serve to clinch the win.

"These are the kind of moments that I still play for, compete for," Djokovic said. "The motivation is big when you are feeling good and competing at par with the best players in the world in front of 15,000 people. "These are the kind of moments that define dreams, I think, of every tennis player."

"It's been a struggle this year for different reasons," Djokovic added. "But I'm still there, still grinding, still making the youngsters work for their money. I'm just glad to push it through." Djokovic's victory over Zverev dented the German's quest to finish the year as the world's number one-ranked player.

Medvedev, the third seed, earlier overcame Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 to set up the semi-final with Djokovic. The win in Beijing extended Djokovic's unbeaten tally in the city to 32 matches and moved him a step closer to a seventh China Open title and a first trophy of what has been a difficult 2026, with form and fitness proving challenging.

Djokovic will face third seed Daniil Medvedev on Monday in the China Open semi-finals.