By BEIJING — Novak Djokovic’s legendary Beijing fortress remains unbreached, though the walls are starting to show some strain.
In a bruising semi-final clash on Monday, the 24-time Grand Slam champion pushed his flawless China Open record to a staggering 33-0, battling past Daniil Medvedev 7-5, 5-3 in a gruelling two-hour and 33-minute epic before a dramatic and premature conclusion.
With the victory, the 39-year-old icon secured his place in the final and etched his name deeper into the history books as the oldest ATP 500 finalist.
However, getting to the championship match has been anything but a stroll for the tournament’s six-time champion. Unlike his dominant 2015 title run—where he surrendered a mere 18 games across five matches—Djokovic has already leaked 45 games through four gruelling contests this week.
Monday’s semi-final demanded every ounce of his renowned resilience, featuring long, sapping rallies that left the veteran hunched over in exhaustion.
“Every point you had to work extremely hard,” Djokovic reflected after the match. “At some point, I was just praying to get a little more time between points.”
The statistics tell the story of a match fought in the trenches. Djokovic was forced to show his trademark clutch gene, fighting off an astounding 16 of 18 break points on his serve, including 9 of 10 during a frantic second set. Medvedev, equally relentless, traded blows in a high-intensity battle that marked their first meeting since the 2023 U.S. Open final.
The encounter ultimately ended abruptly when Medvedev was defaulted after accidentally striking a spectator with a ball. Following the incident, Medvedev offered profuse apologies, expressing deep concern for the fan’s well-being.
The victory sets the stage for a blockbuster Tuesday final against Alex de Minaur. The Australian advanced after Hubert Hurkacz was forced to retire due to an adductor injury while trailing 6-4, 3-2.
While Djokovic was pushed to his absolute limits on court, de Minaur enjoyed a swift, hour-long walkover—a luxury not lost on the battle-tested Serb.
“I’m sure he was enjoying himself, watching us pretty much die on court,” Djokovic joked of his upcoming opponent.
Djokovic holds a 3-1 lead in their head-to-head history, though de Minaur enters the final significantly fresher. Standing just two sets away from his 102nd career title, Djokovic knows what awaits him under the Beijing lights.
“A lot of running,” Djokovic said when asked what he expects in the final. “Again, it doesn’t get easier when it comes to running, that’s for sure. I expect another battle, another physical match where probably I will not get too many free points.”
