Novak Djokovic made headlines once again in Beijing, showcasing his incredible resilience by overcoming Alexander Zverev with a score of 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the quarter-finals of the China Open 2026. This win not only secured Djokovic a spot in the semi-finals but also helped him break Rafael Nadal’s longstanding record for the most consecutive victories at a single tournament.
With this latest triumph, Djokovic improved his impressive record at the China Open to a staggering 32-0. He became the first male player in the Open Era to achieve 32 straight wins at a single event, surpassing Nadal’s previous record of 31 wins at the French Open, which ended against Robin Soderling in 2009.
What makes Djokovic’s accomplishment even more special is that he has returned to the China Open after a lengthy break. At 39 years old, his last appearance in Beijing was in 2015 when he clinched his sixth title there. Throughout his career, he had previously won the tournament in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Before this year’s competition, he had already boasted a 29-0 record from his earlier matches in Beijing.
Despite entering the match as a favorite, Djokovic faced a tough challenge against Zverev, who started strong and claimed the first set 6-4 after breaking Djokovic’s serve early in the game. The Serbian star had to dig deep to compete against Zverev, who was fresh off some impressive performances leading up to this tournament.
DJOKOVIC TURNS THE TIDE
As the match progressed, Djokovic found his rhythm, becoming more dominant in longer rallies and capitalizing on Zverev’s mistakes at crucial moments. The second set was tightly contested, staying on serve until the pivotal 10th game. Zverev was serving to stay in the set when Djokovic seized the opportunity, forcing errors from the German to secure a critical break and tie the match.
The final set followed a similar trajectory. Zverev seemed capable of extending the match, but Djokovic maintained his composure. At 4-5, Zverev faltered again while serving, allowing Djokovic to break one last time and seal his comeback with another 6-4 set win.
This victory marks another impressive comeback moment for Djokovic in Beijing, as he had previously rallied from a set down against China’s Yunchaokete Bu in the round of 16, winning 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2.
Next up for Djokovic is a semi-final match against Daniil Medvedev. Medvedev, the third seed, earned his place in the last four by defeating Francisco Cerundolo 7-6(4), 6-3 earlier in the day.
