Novak Djokovic is back in China and preparing to play at the Shanghai Masters after a five-year absence.
The 37-year-old last took to the court in September when he represented Serbia in the group stages of the Davis Cup.
Aside from Djokovic beating Carlos Alcaraz to become Olympic champion in July, 2024 has been a tough season for the former World number one.
Djokovic has gone through a season without winning a major for the first time since 2017 and has fallen out of the ATP’s top three.
But he is now back in a country where he has enjoyed plenty of success in the past and he hopes those memories can inspire him to more joy in Shanghai.
What did Chinese fans want Novak Djokovic to do?
Novak Djokovic is set to play in China for the first time since 2019. Since his return to the country Djokovic has visited the Great Wall of China and spent time on the practice court getting ready to play at the ATP Masters 1000 Shanghai event.
Djokovic is delighted to play in front of the Chinese fans once again, who have been some of his biggest supporters throughout his illustrious career.
In fact, the 24-time Grand Slam champion’s impact has been so great that some Chinese fans pleaded with him to return to play in their country again.
“I have missed being in China, it has been five years,” Djokovic told the Shanghai Masters’ YouTube channel. A lot has happened in those five years for me and my career.
“So I was looking forward to coming and experiencing the love and energy and support that I’ve been getting from Chinese fans you know over the years.
“I met some of them on the tour in the last couple of years and they were asking me in a way begging me to come back to China and play so I’m happy I am here, it’s one of the most spectacular events.”
How many tournaments has Novak Djokovic won in China?
China is a country Djokovic has achieved plenty of success in throughout his career.
The World number four has won the Shanghai Masters on four occasions and claimed the China Open crown on six occasions.
Djokovic is aiming to win an 11th title in China and he is certainly looking forward to the challenge. Furthermore, Djokovic explained why he was unable to compete for a seventh title in Beijing, where he has never lost a match.
“I wanted to play in China but the Beijing tournament unfortunately didn’t fit the schedule, and then I said ‘okay I need to play a tournament in Shanghai, it’s the biggest tournament in China,” he added.
“I’ve had plenty of success here and in Beijing, won a lot of titles and hopefully that previous experience and the memories that I have can help me do well this year as well.”
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