Alexander Zverev has piled the pressure on Novak Djokovic with mind games ahead of their China Open quarter-final clash. The German, who has won two Grand Slam titles in 2026, faces Djokovic after the Serb survived a second-round scare against Yunchaokete Bu.
Zverev's warning to Djokovic
Zverev said: "I think this is probably one of the most favourite courts in his career. He's never lost here. Of course I'm going to do everything I can to make it a challenge and to be able to compete and hopefully be successful. That's what I'm here for as well, and I'm looking forward to that challenge."
Djokovic has won six titles at the China Open and remains unbeaten at the tournament since his debut in 2009. Despite Zverev's impressive performances during the calendar year, he isn't taking anything for granted, adding: "I've got a very difficult opponent tomorrow, but I'm looking forward to those challenges as well. I think it's nice to have that."
Djokovic's health struggle
Zverev's task might be made easier by the fact that Djokovic revealed he's been struggling with a secret health problem. Speaking after his win over Bu: "Most of the matches and tournaments this year that I've played have been a real, real struggle for me physically. That's nothing to do with stamina. People mix it up. It's not stamina. It's something else. More related to health. I don't want to be revealing what it is, but I'm trying to get to the bottom of it with my team. Sometimes it works better, sometimes it doesn't. Today, again, for first couple sets."
Adding: "Actually surprisingly something I haven't experienced this year so far, that in the third set I kind of broke through. I felt better. Towards the end of the second and all third set, I felt fresher than I have in the beginning of the match.
"Yeah, I'm just hopeful with all the things obviously that we're doing that I could be in a control decent conditions for the next match and upcoming matches and tournaments. That's all I can say. Of course, it's not fun when you're feeling like that on the court because then I'm investing my emotional, mental energy, and physical of course, more on the issues that I'm having rather than thinking about the game and how I can beat my opponent."
