Djokovic, 39, defeats Zverev at China Open to set record 32-match win streak

Novak Djokovic extended his unbeaten run at the China Open to 32 consecutive victories by defeating top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a three-set quarterfinal on October 4, 2026. The 39-year-old Serbian overcame a difficult start—including two double faults that cost him serve in the opening game—to progressively take control of the match and secure victory in two hours and 35 minutes. The win sets up a semifinal clash against fellow former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev, who defeated Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 in the preceding quarterfinal.

With this victory, Djokovic surpassed Rafael Nadal's previous record for the best unbeaten streak at a single tour-level event in the Open Era. Nadal had won his first 31 consecutive matches at the French Open before losing; Djokovic now holds the record at 32-0 in Beijing. The achievement is particularly notable given Djokovic's age and a season disrupted by physical issues. He is only the third man in ATP history since 1973 to record a top-three win after turning 39, joining Ken Rosewall and Jimmy Connors. The victory also marked Djokovic's second top-two win of the season, following his semifinal defeat of Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open.

Zverev, the reigning French Open and US Open champion and current world's in-form player, won the opening set decisively but could not maintain momentum. Djokovic's tactical adjustments—including aggressive net play, drop shots, and pace variation—gradually shifted momentum in his favour. The turning point came late in the second set when Djokovic broke Zverev's serve at 5-4, then repeated the break in the tenth game of the third set to clinch victory. Zverev served 19 aces in the match, but Djokovic's superior performance on return and behind his first serve (82% of points won, 53 of 65) proved decisive.

Djokovic is seeking a record-extending seventh China Open title. After returning to the tournament for the first time since 2015, he had compiled 29 consecutive victories before this year. Speaking after the match, Djokovic reflected on the psychological significance of the win: "These are the kind of moments that I still play for, compete for... These are the kind of moments that define dreams, I think, of every tennis player. It's been a struggle this year, to be honest, for different reasons, but I'm still there, still grinding, still making the youngsters work for their money."

Elsewhere at the China Open, women's second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus was eliminated in the third round by 26th seed Nikola Bartunkova of Czechia, 6-4, 6-3, marking an early exit for both top seeds in the women's draw. In other men's quarterfinal results, Alex de Minaur recovered from losing the opening set to defeat Andrey Rublev 1-6, 6-2, 6-3, and Hubert Hurkacz defeated Karen Khachanov 7-6 (2), 6-2.