Djokovic rallies past Zverev to reach China Open semifinals

Novak Djokovic set aside lingering injury concerns to produce a trademark comeback, defeating top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to book a place in the China Open semifinals and keep his unbeaten record at the tournament intact.

Playing at the ATP 500 event in Beijing for the first time since 2015, the six-time champion was pushed to his limits by Zverev — the reigning French Open and US Open champion — who fired 19 aces in Sunday's match.

Meeting for the first time in nearly 16 months, Djokovic struggled to counter the German's power early on as the 29-year-old Zverev took the opening set. The Serb, however, gradually found his rhythm and refused to let his opponent pull ahead.

"I started off very poorly — two double faults right away. It was quite cold, and honestly, I didn't feel properly warmed up, but that's my fault," Djokovic said.

"I let him break early, and then it was hard to come back in the first set."

The match was briefly interrupted by a controversy when Zverev argued that an electronic advertising board had dimmed during a point and called for a video review after losing the point. The replay showed part of the sign had gone dark, though not at the moment Zverev mishit his forehand. The chair umpire ruled the point be replayed, drawing an unhappy reaction from Djokovic.

"I kept my composure"

The turning point came late in the second set when Djokovic broke serve at 5-4 to level the match, swinging the momentum his way after a tense battle. With the third set evenly contested, the Serb again broke Zverev at 5-4, sealing the decisive breakthrough to close out the win after two hours and 35 minutes.

"I tried to play aggressively, come to the net and change the pace, not to repeat the same pattern," Djokovic said.

"I'm just glad I kept my composure and played some good shots at the important moments, at 5-4 in the second and third sets."

The two had not met since Roland Garros 2025, where Djokovic won in four sets. Sunday's encounter once again highlighted the Serb's ability to deliver under pressure despite a season disrupted by physical issues.

With the win, Djokovic moved a step closer to a seventh China Open title and his first trophy of the year, while halting Zverev's bid to strengthen his world No. 1 position.

Djokovic will face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals after the Russian beat Francisco Cerundolo 7-6(4), 6-3 in the earlier match.

Rybakina withdraws from Wuhan after China Open exit

World No. 1 Elena Rybakina has withdrawn from this month's Wuhan Open with a foot injury, organisers said on Sunday, a day after the Kazakh's shock first-round defeat at the China Open.

Rybakina, who lost to world No. 118 Alina Charaeva in Beijing, said she would take time away from competition to recover.

"I'm very sorry to the fans who were looking forward to watching me play," Rybakina said in a post on the tournament's Instagram account.

"I will take time to rest and recover. Thank you for your understanding and continued support."

The 27-year-old has been dealing with a persistent calf and foot problem, which forced her to retire from her Cincinnati quarterfinal against Iga Swiatek in August. Despite that setback, Rybakina recovered in time for the US Open, where she claimed her third Grand Slam title, rose to world No. 1 and became the first player to qualify for the season-ending WTA Finals.

Rybakina was scheduled to play this month at the Ningbo Open in China, where she will aim to defend her title. The Wuhan Open is set to run from October 12 to 18.