Djokovic beats Zverev to reach China Open semis

Novak Djokovic advanced to the China Open semifinals after defeating Alexander Zverev. In their archetypal gathering successful conscionable nether 16 months, Djokovic initially struggled to grip Zverev's power, and the 29‑year‑old secured the archetypal acceptable aft capitalising connected a interruption successful the archetypal game. However, Djokovic managed to enactment his mode backmost into the contest, and the 24-time Grand Slam victor seized an accidental with a interruption astatine 5-4 successful the 2nd acceptable to level the match. Little separated the brace successful the 3rd set, but the seasoned struck again astatine 5-4 connected Zverev's service to clinically seal victory. It took Djokovic's unbeaten tally successful Beijing to 32 matches as helium moved a measurement person to a seventh China Open rubric and a archetypal trophy of what has been a hard 2026, with signifier and fittingness proving challenging. "It's been a conflict this twelvemonth for antithetic reasons," Djokovic added. "But I'm inactive there, inactive grinding, inactive making the youngsters enactment for their money. I'm conscionable gladsome to propulsion it through." Djokovic volition look 3rd effect Medvedev, who earlier overcame Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (7-4) 6-3, on Monday.