Last Updated:
Djokovic will face Medvedev in the final four after the former world number one dispatched Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
Novak Djokovic defeats Alexander Zverev in China Open. (Picture Credit: AP)
Novak Djokovic rolled back the years to oust Alexander Zverev from the China Open on Sunday, beating the top seed 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to set up a blockbuster semi-final with Daniil Medvedev.
The 39-year-old Serbian electrified a packed crowd in Beijing, where he extended an astonishing winning streak to 32 matches and is a firm fan favourite.
Djokovic called it one of his best matches of the year, alongside his epic five-set win over Italy’s Jannik Sinner to reach the final at the Australian Open.
He told reporters such battles were “evidence to me that I can still beat the best players in the world on the biggest stage”.
“Things are a bit different nowadays. It’s hard to be consistently playing on the highest level like the youngsters,” he said.
He needed to play a mix of shots in “high-risk tennis” against the German, but he said feeling “physically pretty good” on the court after dealing all year with health issues helped him fight back.
Djokovic will face Medvedev in the final four after the former world number one dispatched Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz also advanced to the semi-finals after beating Karen Khachanov, and will play Australia’s Alex de Minaur, who survived a gruelling test to beat Andrey Rublev 1-6, 6-2, 6-3.
Sabalenka swept out
Aryna Sabalenka was swatted aside in straight sets in the third round, leaving the women’s draw without its top two seeds.
Czech player Nikola Bartunkova sent down four aces to beat the former world number one 6-4, 6-3 in one hour and 35 minutes.
“I focused on myself, to be calm,” 34th-ranked Bartunkova said.
“She’s a legend… so I’m really happy that I won the match,” she said of the four-time Grand Slam champion.
Bartunkova next faces Austria’s Sinja Kraus in the round of 16.
French Open champion Mirra Andreeva of Russia set up a fourth-round match with Ukraine’s Daria Snigur, while Wimbledon champion Linda Noskova breezed past Viktorija Golubic 6-2, 6-1.
Noskova next faces 28th-ranked Russian player Ekaterina Alexandrova.
Naomi Osaka, the 2019 champion, beats Sara Bejlek and will face Karolina Muchova or Liudmila Samsonova.
Rybakina pulls out of Wuhan Open
World No. 1 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from next week’s Wuhan Open with injury, the tennis tournament said Sunday on social media.
“Elena Rybakina will miss Wuhan due to a foot injury. We wish her a quick recovery,” the tournament wrote on Instagram.
“I’m very sorry to the fans who were looking forward to seeing me play. I’ll take some time to rest and recover,” the 27-year-old from Kazakhstan said in a statement shared by the tournament.
A day earlier, Rybakina lost to 118th-ranked Alina Charaeva in the second round of the China Open in Beijing. She said afterward she was having trouble with her foot.
It was Rybakina’s first match since winning last month’s US Open and claiming the top women’s ranking.
(With inputs from AFP)
Quick Answers
Ask News18Novak Djokovic will face Daniil Medvedev in the semi-finals of the China Open after defeating top-seed Alexander Zverev in a three-set thriller.
Ask News18About the Author
Harshit Bisht is a sports journalist at CNN-News18, where he has been covering cricket, football, and major sporting events from around the world since July 1, 2024. Driven by a passion for storytelli…Read More
October 05, 2026, 07:17 IST
Read More
Source link
[ad_3]
