He got off to a poor start, double-faulting twice in the first game to help Zverev, a decade his junior, break serve instantly. 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.
A frustrated Sabalenka tossed her racquet at a break down in the fourth game of the second set, and lost on the first match point when she returned into the net.
“She’s a legend… so I’m really happy that I won the match,” she said of the four-time Grand Slam champion.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion faced 19 Zverev aces throughout the match but held steady on his own serve to go 5-4 ahead in the final set. He then broke the world number two to take the set and the match, seemingly defying his recent physical difficulties with victory in a gruelling two hours and 34 minutes. Djokovic will face Medvedev in the final four after the former world number one dispatched Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (7/4), 6-3.
Czech player Nikola Bartunkova, 20, 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.
