Jan 22, 2026; Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action against Francesco Maestrelli of Italy in the second round of the men’s singles at the Australian Open at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne Park. Mandatory Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn I… | Source: Lastwordonsports.com – Jim Smith
In their first meeting in almost sixteen months, Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev are set to face off in the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 event in Beijing this year.
Both players are at quite different stages of their careers, with Zverev having the best season of his career so far in 2026 due to some fortunate breaks on the court, while Djokovic, still titleless this year, is struggling physically during matches as much as he has ever done, as seen during his opening matches in Beijing as well.
Still, when a clash of such magnitude arrives, it would be foolish to dismiss Djokovic, as he would love to remind both the world and himself that he can still compete with the best players in the world on his day. As always, we here at LWOT will be bringing you all the details on how to catch the action live.
Novak Djokovic vs Alexander Zverev: ATP Beijing 2026
Match Preview
Both of these players should be well known to their opponents, having played each other fifteen times. And while Djokovic leads the overall head-to-head nine wins to six, this rivalry has been pretty even recently, with the players splitting their last six encounters.
At his best, Djokovic had the game tailor-made to go up against Zverev, as his great return would neutralise the big Zverev serve as well as anyone, while from the baseline, Djokovic was also one of the few players who could not only go toe-to-toe physically with Zverev, but also out-defend and out-hit him when needed. This resulted in the Serbian winning six of their first eight meetings, with some matches being close, but Djokovic ultimately figuring it out.
But with time, those Djokovic strengths have regressed quite a bit, as the former World No. 1 is now neither the best returner of serve in the game nor physically capable of outlasting players who are a decade younger than him. Both of these issues have been even more magnified this year, which, against a Zverev playing as well as ever, should be a huge concern for the Serbian.
Stylistically, Zverev’s game has not changed much over the years, with the added stability of a solid second serve. The German is still a big-serving counterpuncher who can be targeted on his forehand side. In fact, this year Zverev has only two top-10 wins so far, further showing that it is not necessarily his game that has taken a leap this year. What has changed is his mentality, as this year the German has made the most of the opportunities that have fallen his way.
Zverev has twice reached the semifinals of Majors this year with neither Carlos Alcaraz nor Jannik Sinner in the field, and both times he came out of the Major victorious, not wasting his chance unlike he would have in previous years. That added confidence of now being a Major champion, along with how his game matches up with a Djokovic who has as many question marks surrounding him as ever, makes the German the clear favourite in this contest. But that is arguably a position that Djokovic would like the most, as he has time and time again proven people wrong and will love a chance to do so here in Beijing, a tournament where he remains undefeated all-time.
Match Time and Where to Watch
The quarterfinal is scheduled for the night session and will begin not before 7:00 PM local time in Beijing (7:00 AM in New York, 12:00 PM in London).
Mar 30, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; Novak Djokovic (SRB) stands on court after a fall during a point against Jakub Mensik (CZE)(not pictured) in the men’s singles championship of the Miami Open at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The match will be broadcast live worldwide on all major sporting networks, as well as on demand on Tennis TV, including:
United States: Tennis Channel
Canada: TSN
Australia: beIN Sports Australia
Coverage in Europe will be available on:
United Kingdom: Sky UK
Italy: Sky Italia
France: Eurosport France
Germany: Sky Deutschland
Spain: Telefonica / Movistar
Complete global broadcast details can also be found on the ATP Tour website.
The Last Word
Although this match is just a quarterfinal, it has a real final feel to it, as the winner will be in pole position to lift the title at the end of the week after gaining confidence from a win against such an opponent. For Zverev, this match is about adding to his career-best season so far and continuing his pursuit of the World No. 1 ranking, which, given the recent injury struggles of Jannik Sinner, feels increasingly close.
Flushing Meadows, New York, United States – September 4, 2026 Germany’s Alexander Zverev in action during his second round match against France’s Quentin Halys IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters/Geoff Burke
For Djokovic, it is about staying invincible in Beijing. The Serbian has played 31 matches at the Beijing Open and has won them all so far, making this event one of the most successful of his career. The Serbian may not be the gold standard in tennis anymore as he once was for such a long period of time, but in conditions he likes, against a player he has had success against before, and in a situation that has him as the underdog, it would not be surprising if he has one more iconic performance in him.
So, the question remains: who do you think will make the semifinals in Beijing this year, World No. 2 Alexander Zverev or six-time Beijing champion Novak Djokovic?
Main Image Credit: Mike Frey-Imagn Images