Djokovic rallies past Zverev for record 32nd win

Novak Djokovic extended his remarkable unbeaten run at the China Open to 32 matches here on Sunday, rallying past top seed Alexander Zverev 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 to claim a record once held by Rafael Nadal, reported Xinhua.

The 39-year-old Serbian, a six-time China Open champion, began with two double faults in the opening game to drop serve, and Zverev won the first set 6-4. Though the German unleashed 19 aces, Djokovic broke him in the 10th game of each of the next two sets, sealing the contest on his second match point in two hours and 35 minutes.

"This is probably one of the two best matches that I played this year, next to the one against Sinner in the semi-finals of the Australian Open. Just obviously very thrilled to win against probably the best player in the world at the moment," Djokovic said.

The victory lifted Djokovic to 32-0 at the tournament, the best start by a men's singles player at a single event in the Open Era, surpassing Nadal, who had won his first 31 matches at Roland Garros. The Serbian will face fellow former world No. 1 Daniil Medvedev in the semifinals. Medvedev edged Argentina's Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (4), 6-3 in the quarterfinals.

Also in the men's draw, fifth seed Alex de Minaur shrugged off a crushing opening set to reel off 12 of the remaining 17 games and turn aside Russia's Andrey Rublev 1-6, 6-2, 6-3. Hubert Hurkacz edged Karen Khachanov 7-6(2), 6-2 in one hour and 33 minutes.

Women's second seed Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus was knocked out in the third round, falling 6-4, 6-3 to 26th-seeded Nikola Bartunkova as the women's event lost both its top-two seeds before the round of 16.

The 20-year-old Czech, ranked 34th and making her tournament debut, broke in the opening game and saved all five break points she faced - all in the first set - before serving out the opener. She broke twice more in the second set and closed out the win in one hour and 35 minutes, avenging a three-set defeat to Sabalenka in Berlin in June.

Fourth seed Mirra Andreeva and fifth seed Linda Noskova eased into the women's round of 16 in straight sets. French Open champion Andreeva defeated Polina Kudermetova of Uzbekistan 6-4, 6-1 to set up a meeting with Ukraine's Daria Snigur. Wimbledon champion Noskova dropped only three games in a 6-2, 6-1 win over Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic to face Ekaterina Alexandrova in the next round.

On Monday, China's Zheng Qinwen and Sun Xinran will continue their campaigns in the top half of the women's draw, with Zheng facing Marie Bouzkova and Sun taking on world No. 4 Coco Gauff.