Tennis-Djokovic rallies past Zverev to reach China Open semi-finals

Novak Djokovic produced a trademark comeback ​to defeat top seed Alexander ​Zverev 4-6 6-4 6-4 and ‌reach the ​China Open semi-finals on Sunday, extending his unbeaten record in the tournament. Playing the ATP 500 event ‌in Beijing for the first time since 2015, the six-time champion was pushed to the limit by reigning French Open and US Open champion Zverev.

Meeting for ‌the first time in nearly 16 months, Djokovic struggled to contain the ‌German's power in the early stages as Zverev claimed the opening set, but the Serb gradually worked his way into the match and refused to let his opponent pull away. The ⁠turning point ​came late in ⁠the second set when Djokovic broke at 5-4 to level the match, shifting the momentum ⁠in his favour after a tightly contested battle.

With little separating the pair in the ​third, the Serbian struck again at 5-4 on the Zverev serve, ⁠securing the decisive break to seal victory. The pair had not met since Roland Garros in 2025, ⁠where ​Djokovic won in four sets, and Saturday's encounter again highlighted the Serb's ability to deliver under pressure despite a season disrupted by physical ⁠issues.

With the victory, Djokovic moved a step closer to a seventh China Open ⁠title and an ⁠elusive first trophy of the year, while denying Zverev another opportunity to strengthen his bid for the world number ‌one ranking.