Ageless Novak Djokovic Stays Perfect in Beijing

Age is supposed to slow a tennis player down. Nobody has told Novak Djokovic. At 39, the Serb eliminated world No. 2 Alexander Zverev in the China Open quarterfinals and extended a streak in Beijing with no Open Era precedent.

Djokovic is now 32-0 at the tournament. No player in the Open Era has won his first 32 matches at a single event, and Djokovic has done it in the Chinese capital. Perfection over that many matches, across many years, shows how thoroughly he has mastered the conditions, the court and the occasion.

The upset matters as much as the statistic. Zverev arrived in Beijing as the World No. 2 and a double Grand Slam winner this season, one of the most dangerous players on Tour and a heavy favorite on paper. Djokovic, nearly a decade and a half older than many of his rivals, still took him apart. It reminded everyone that rankings and form guides count for little once the Serbian is across the net.

The result also completes a remarkable run of form. At 39, Djokovic has now played the three best matches of the 2026 season:

– Australian Open semifinal vs Jannik Sinner
– Wimbledon quarterfinal vs Felix Auger-Aliassime
– China Open quarterfinal vs Alexander Zverev

That list speaks for itself. Each match came against an elite opponent on a big stage, and each showed Djokovic’s full repertoire: elastic defense, relentless return of serve and a fierce competitive streak that still shows in every big point. The tennis has been of the highest quality, and in Beijing it came with a result that adds to his legend.

It is easy to look at his birth certificate and ask when the “fatal” decline will come. Matches like this one make that question harder to ask. A player who can beat a Top 2 opponent and still be producing the best tennis of the year at 39 has not slowed down. Djokovic has simply found another way to stay ahead of the field, using experience, shot selection and an unmatched understanding of how to win matches that others only hope to survive.

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Mar 2, 2026; Indian Wells, CA, USA; Novak Djokovic (SRB) during a practice session for the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

For the rest of the draw, the message is uncomfortable. Beijing has become Djokovic’s territory, and his unbeaten record here gives him a psychological edge before a ball is struck. Every opponent still standing knows that to win the title, they must end a streak that stretches back across his entire career in the city, against a man playing some of the best tennis of his life.

The tournament moves on, and Djokovic moves with it. With 32 wins from 32 and the best matches of the season behind him, the question is no longer whether he can still compete at the top. It is whether anyone in Beijing can stop him.

Main Photo Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images