Zverev sweeps past Shang in 55 minutes, Djokovic awaits in Beijing quarters

Saturday, under Beijing’s closed roof, Alexander Zverev needed 55 minutes to end Juncheng Shang’s China Open: 6-0, 6-3, in the last 16. The world No. 2 never had to force the pace; Shang never settled into the match.

Three points dropped behind the first serve

Nine aces, and only three points dropped from the 28 played behind the first serve, according to the ATP match statistics. Shang, 21, a wildcard ranked around 250th, was coming back from four months out with physical problems: without match rhythm, the return window never opened.

Zverev, the top seed in Beijing, arrived at the best moment of his career: 58 wins and 14 defeats in 2026, plus his first two Grand Slam titles, Roland Garros and the US Open. With Jannik Sinner out of Shanghai with a knee injury, he can target the world No. 1 spot if he wins in Beijing and then Shanghai.

Djokovic, six titles and no defeat in Beijing

Novak Djokovic, the sixth seed, needed three sets to get past Yunchaokete Bu (4-6, 7-6, 6-2) and reach the last eight. In Beijing the six-time champion is still unbeaten: 31 wins from 31 matches. Against Zverev, across fourteen meetings, he leads 9-5, and he won their last meeting at Roland Garros 2025 in four sets.

“I’ve got a very difficult opponent tomorrow, but I’m looking forward to those challenges as well,” Zverev said, quoted by the ATP. On Sunday I will watch the first serve first: at Saturday’s rate, it leaves Djokovic needing to win his own service games to stay in touch.