Novak Djokovic, a six-time champion, has advanced to the China Open semifinals after defeating top seed Alexander Zverev in a hard-fought match on Sunday. The Serbian tennis star produced a trademark comeback to secure a 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory, extending his unbeaten record at the Beijing tournament.

Djokovic is competing in the ATP 500 event for the first time since 2015. His win against Zverev, the reigning French Open and US Open champion, demonstrates his resilience amid ongoing injury struggles that have marked his season.

The match saw Zverev, who served 19 aces, take an early lead by winning the first set. Djokovic admitted to a poor start, citing cold conditions and a lack of warm-up as contributing factors, and acknowledged giving his opponent an early break which made the first set difficult to recover.

A brief interruption occurred when Zverev questioned a call due to a darkened electronic advertising sign during a rally. While replays showed the sign had indeed malfunctioned, it was not during Zverev's missed forehand. The chair umpire ordered the point replayed, leading to a frustrated reaction from Djokovic.

The momentum shifted late in the second set when Djokovic secured a crucial break at 5-4 to level the match. The decisive moment came in the third set, also at 5-4, when Djokovic broke Zverev's serve again to clinch the victory in two hours and 35 minutes.

Djokovic credited his ability to hold his nerve and execute crucial shots in the second and third sets, particularly at 5-4. He explained his strategy involved being aggressive, coming to the net, and varying his pace to disrupt Zverev's rhythm.

This victory marks a significant step for Djokovic in his pursuit of a seventh China Open title and his first trophy of the year. It also thwarted Zverev's ambition to strengthen his claim for the world number one ranking.

Djokovic is now set to face Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals. Medvedev secured his spot in the final four after defeating Francisco Cerundolo.