Overview
- Novak Djokovic defeated top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to reach the China Open semi-finals.
- The victory pushed Djokovic’s unbeaten Beijing record to 32-0, eclipsing Rafael Nadal’s 31-0 start at Roland Garros as the best opening run at a single tour-level event in the Open Era.
- At 39, Djokovic became one of only three men since 1973 to beat a top‑3 opponent after turning 39, a notable result in a season that has been disrupted by physical issues and has so far yielded no tour titles.
- The win awards Djokovic 200 ranking points and roughly £166,065 in prize money, while Zverev adds 100 points and about £84,597 from his quarter-final exit.
- Djokovic now meets Daniil Medvedev in the semi-final, a match that will influence late‑season ranking calculations and could factor into Djokovic’s decisions about playing Shanghai and his year‑end schedule given ongoing fitness concerns.