Djokovic beats Zverev in three sets to extend unbeaten China Open record to 32 wins

Novak Djokovic recovered from a set down to beat Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the China Open quarter-finals on Sunday, October 4. The victory took the 39-year-old Serbian into his seventh Beijing semi-final and extended his unbeaten record at the tournament to 32 matches, according to Field Level Media's report.

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The sixth seed defeated the tournament's top seed, whose season has included titles at both the French Open and US Open. Djokovic will next face Daniil Medvedev, who advanced by beating Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (4), 6-3. The result leaves Djokovic still in contention to add to his six China Open titles.

SABC Sport reported that Djokovic lost serve in the opening game after two double faults, but was not broken again. He made the decisive breakthrough with Zverev serving at 4-5 in each of the final two sets. The German's serving left few openings: he missed only one of his 24 first serves during the second set.

In a Tennis TV interview reported by SABC Sport, Djokovic said his serving rhythm improved during the first set. He described trying to take the initiative with the shot following his serve, approach the net and vary the pace rather than give Zverev a predictable pattern. He also credited his composure and ability to read the German's serve at the crucial moments.

The unbeaten run now exceeds Rafael Nadal's 31-match winning start at Roland Garros, SABC Sport reported. Djokovic had matched that mark two days earlier against Bu Yunchaokete. His official website recorded Friday's result as a 4-6, 7-6 (2), 6-2 victory, with the Serbian recovering through a second-set tie-break before pulling clear in the decider.

That earlier match lasted two hours and 52 minutes, according to Djokovic's website, and required another comeback from an opening-set deficit. This is his first appearance at the China Open since 2015, when he won the event for the sixth time. Sunday's win keeps that long-standing unbeaten tournament record intact heading into the last four.