Novak Djokovic is back for another Asian Swing after his disappointing early exit from the US Open in August.
Djokovic says fans begged him to return to China, and he has now answered their calls after a five-year absence from the Shanghai Masters.
Fourth-seed Djokovic is among a star-studded field in Shanghai, which includes Jannik Sinner and China Open champion Carlos Alcaraz.
But British number one Jack Draper is out of the Shanghai Masters, having suffered an abdominal injury at the Japan Open.
Djokovic leads the way for Shanghai Masters titles with four, but now has the chance to clinch a stunning 100th career singles title.
Novak Djokovic shares his Shanghai Masters preparation
His recent break after the US Open could certainly go one of two ways, with the Serbian either going to be slow to get going, or full of energy given his freshness compared to many other opponents.
He is hopeful the latter scenario will play out, with Djokovic saying in his Shanghai Masters press conference: “Well, as I’ve mentioned before, China has been a very successful and happy place for me. I’ve had great success on the Chinese soil, both Beijing and Shanghai.
“I haven’t been here for five years. I just love playing here, love the conditions, love the support that I get, and I also have an extra motivation of trying to go for my 100th title.
“Yeah, that’s all I can say at the moment. I’m trying to improve daily on my practice sessions. I play a lot of practice points, games, sets, and get to the desired level, because I haven’t been playing too many tournaments lately, so I have some catching up to do with others.
“Again, hopefully I can use that freshness in a way, and also the past experiences and success I had on this court for good success this year in the tournament as well.”
Can a fresh Novak Djokovic win his 100th career title at the Shanghai Masters?
It is certainly an interesting point of the season, with different players certain to be experiencing different levels of fatigue.
Alcaraz hasn’t been given a minute to enjoy his China Open success, having headed to Shanghai with fellow finalist Sinner not long after their match.
They are certain to be tired for the next event in the busy ATP Tour calendar, which has come under plenty of scrutiny this season.
READ MORE: Shanghai Masters 2024: How to watch, prize money, dates and everything you need to know
At the same time, however, they should be finely-tuned to compete at the highest level given their recent time on the court, unlike Djokovic.
But the Serbian could use his freshness to his advantage, with a 100th career title certainly on the cards at the Shanghai Masters.
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