Djokovic survives scare to extend China Open run, could face Zverev next

[p]It was not an easy fight for the 39-year-old Serbian, a firm favourite in China who has never lost in Beijing in 31 matches.[/p][p]Pumped-up home hope [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/yunchaokete-bu/Qabjt3Y5/"]Bu[/a], 24, threatened to spoil the party in the marathon two-hour 52-minute match, frustrating [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/djokovic-novak/AZg49Et9/"]Djokovic[/a] by pushing him back and forth across the baseline.[/p][image alt="Key match stats" id="633fd71a-53c4-49c4-8bbc-6b6071d1a859" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="3c6a1aad-2425-4caf-a9ea-cbc01b66eb2d" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]The former world number one needed a medical timeout for his torso after giving back a break in the second set, but held on in a tense tie-break to force a deciding third.[/p][p]Back with better tennis, 11th-ranked Djokovic won four games in a row and held serve before [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/tennis/djokovic-n-AZg49Et9/yunchaokete-b-Qabjt3Y5/?mid=GzUNcOWO"]sinking a backhand winner[/a].[/p][p][b]"Amazing atmosphere tonight,"[/b] Djokovic told an electrified crowd, adding he [b]"tried to give my all"[/b].[/p][p]He will play either Germany's [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zverev-alexander/dGbUhw9m/"]Alexander Zverev[/a], the top seed in Beijing, or Chinese wildcard [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shang-juncheng/tvjTgE3J/"]Shang Juncheng[/a] in the quarter-final.[/p][embed guid="61cb44c8-48c8-43f4-89b7-f1e23b9ec52b" url="https://x.com/atptour/status/2106050892386492734" social-type="twitter" /]