Djokovic Beats Zverev to Stay Perfect at China Open, Extends Beijing Streak to 32-0

A streak that refuses to end

Novak Djokovic beat Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the China Open quarterfinals on Sunday, extending his remarkable unbeaten run at the Beijing tournament to 32-0 across his career there. The 39-year-old, a six-time champion at the event, reached the semifinals for the seventh time in his career.

Zverev, this year's Roland Garros and US Open champion, pushed Djokovic deep into a deciding third set and even saved a match point before finally succumbing. The win marked Djokovic's 267th top-10 victory of his career and his fourth top-10 win of the 2026 season, as well as his second win over a top-two ranked player this year.

Still moving well at 39

What stood out as much as the result itself was how Djokovic looked doing it. He did not appear winded, hampered, or hurt at any point in the match, and never required a trainer's visit, a sign that his physical form heading into the back half of the season may be as good as it has been all year.

Eyeing a return to the ATP Finals

The win also keeps alive Djokovic's hopes of qualifying for the ATP Finals, where the eighth and final spot is still up for grabs. He currently sits 11th in the season-long points race after skipping the event entirely in both 2024 and 2025 despite having qualified those years, but he has said he intends to play this time around if he earns a spot. He has not ruled out adding the Shanghai Masters on October 7 to his schedule, and has already committed to playing the Paris Masters in November.

A rough week for the top seeds

Djokovic's win came against the backdrop of a broader trend through the Asian swing, where several top seeds have struggled. Both Elena Rybakina and Aryna Sabalenka were upset in the 24 hours preceding his quarterfinal, underlining just how difficult Djokovic's run of dominance in Beijing has been to sustain against a field that has given other top players real trouble.