If pressure makes diamonds, then the China Open’s Diamond Court is the perfect place for Novak Djokovic.
Facing his biggest test of the tournament against an in-form Alexander Zverev, Djokovic delivered when the stakes were the highest, rallying to defeat the No. 1 seed 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a 2-hour, 34-minute thriller and extend his perfect winning streak in Beijing to 32 consecutive matches.
Having made his first appearance at the tournament in 2009 and never losing a match here since, his 32nd win at the China Open cements a new record of most matches won in a row since their debut at a single tournament. This record was previously held by his legendary rival Rafael Nadal, at Roland Garros.
“This is probably one of the two best matches that I played this year, next to the one against Sinner in the semis of Australian Open,” Djokovic said. "Just obviously very thrilled to win against probably the best player in the world at the moment."
The 39-year-old fan favorite, the emperor of Beijing, advanced to face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals as he continues his quest for a seventh China Open title and 102nd career singles title, with a raucous crowd at times making it feel as if Zverev was facing 14,000 opponents.
The packed Diamond Court crowd backed Djokovic from the start, erupting in “Let’s go, Novak” chants and cheers before the warmup even began. The electricity never let up, carrying through the final point.
“The crowd I have to mention, they were phenomenal again,” Djokovic said. “They for sure were a big deciding factor, as well, to turn this match around for me.”
The final game was tense, with both players feeling the moment, but Djokovic fed off the energy in the arena to secure the key break and close out the match. He then broke into his signature violin celebration, a tribute to his 6-year-old daughter.
“The last game was a thriller. We were both very tight, very nervous,” Djokovic said in his on-court interview. “Super glad to overcome this huge hurdle.”
Djokovic started the match off shakily, double faulting twice in the first game, and was immediately broken. Djokovic held strong throughout the set, even winning 11 points in a row on serve and holding off a break point in a lengthy game to reach 5-4.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion continued to put up a fight, even having two break point opportunities. However, strong serving from Zverev, including two aces in that game, allowed Zverev to overcome the Serbian’s persistent fight — and the rowdy atmosphere — to seal the set 6-4 and mark Djokovic’s fifth ever set loss at the China Open.
The second set was again full of lengthy rallies, and the two even dapped each other up after one monstrous point that included a tweener from Zverev and a winner from Djokovic. Both remained steady throughout the second set, with neither playing facing a break point throughout the first eight games.
Yet after 23 years on the tour, Djokovic has gained immense experience handling pressure situations. And in yet another test, the six-time event champion showcased his ability to come in clutch at key moments.
After fighting off a break point opportunity from Zverev at 4-4, Djokovic finally broke Zverev for the first time in the match, triumphantly sealing the set 6-4 and forcing a decider.
History seemed to repeat itself in the third set. Djokovic saved one early break point, and, then yet again at 5-4, he broke exactly when he needed to secure the victory.
The match wasn’t without its struggles, as Zverev served dominantly with 19 aces. The world No. 2 showcased his aggressive play style, and the two pushed each other to their limits, with three of their rallies consisting of 27 shots apiece. Yet ultimately, the Serbian managed to come out on top.
Djokovic’s next challenge will be the third-seeded Daniil Medvedev. Djokovic leads their head-to-head 10-5, but the two have faced each other in a number of thrillers over the years, and this will be their first match since Djokovic bested Medvedev in the 2023 US Open final.
Yet after Sunday’s victory, Djokovic is feeling fulfilled, both physically and mentally.
“I’m really happy with myself and proud of the effort,” he said. “The feeling overall is really good. Of course, when you’re playing this well, then confidence is higher, then you kind of forget about all the issues and challenges, and you just keep on moving.”
By Maya Sabapathy
Weibo@ChinaOpen
WeChat Channel
Douyin@ChinaOpen
