Daniil Medvedev and Novak Djokovic are set to clash for the first time in three years in the semifinals of the China Open. Djokovic is coming into this match after a grueling 4-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory over Alexander Zverev, so he won’t have a lot of time to recover. In comparison, Medvedev recorded a comfortable 7-6, 6-3 win over Francisco Cerundolo in the previous match. But the Russian is well aware that a player like Djokovic can never be underestimated.

“I’ve played a lot of matches like this, so I’m not gonna be like overstressed or overexcited, but it’s always fun to play this guy,” he said in his post-match interview. “So, I’m gonna enjoy their match. Novak (Djokovic) is crazy because he is old, you know, not gonna lie, but he can play so good still.”

Djokovic has dominated the matchup over the years. He has a 10-5 lead over Medvedev in the H2H record and has won five of the last six meetings. But Medvedev is currently in better form than the Serb and is coming off a title triumph at the Hangzhou Open. He has won seven consecutive matches and is yet to drop a set at the China Open.

On the other hand, Djokovic’s campaign in Beijing has already been quite tough. He began with a 6-3, 7-6 victory over Nuno Borges but was then involved in a tiring match against Yunchaokete Bu in the next round. The veteran lost the first set, but then made a remarkable comeback to win 4-6, 7-6, 6-2. The match against Zverev must have only increased the fatigue.

But Beijing is a place where Djokovic knows how to get positive results. He has an incredible winning streak of 32 matches in the Chinese capital and continues to attract a huge number of fans to the court. His win over Zverev proves that he is still very much capable of defeating even the most in-form players in the world.

The German was on a nine-match winning streak before the match and was the favorite to win against Djokovic. But the Serb defied the odds and delivered one of his best performances of the season to eliminate one of the biggest title contenders. The defeat brought an end to Zverev’s time in Beijing, as he and Marcelo Melo have also been knocked out of the doubles draw.

They suffered a 6-2, 6-4 defeat to Lloyd Glasspool and Julian Cash. It proved to be a disappointing campaign for the World No. 2, who now won’t be able to dethrone Jannik Sinner on the rankings in the Asian swing. On the other hand, the victory meant a lot for Djokovic as it saw him break a long-standing record.

Novak Djokovic breaks Rafael Nadal’s record with his victory over Alexander Zverev

By winning his 32nd match in a row at the China Open, Djokovic broke Rafael Nadal’s record for the best start to a tour-level event in the Open Era. Nadal previously owned the record with 31 consecutive wins at the French Open. His winning streak was eventually broken by Robert Soderling in 2009. This was the first defeat that Nadal suffered in the Grand Slam.

Interestingly, Djokovic’s winning streak had begun back in 2009. He won the tournament that year and clinched the title again in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. The Serb didn’t return to Beijing for the next 10 years, but he has now picked up where he left off.

A victory over Medvedev in the semifinals would set up a final against either Alex de Minaur or Hubert Hurkacz, who will clash in the other semifinal. Both players are capable enough to provide Djokovic or Medvedev with a strong challenge. So, it is safe to say that fans wouldn’t want to miss any of these matches.