Novak's back in a place he loves

Outside of his homeland of Serbia, there is, perhaps, no other country in the world that admires what Novak Djokovic has achieved, both on and off the court, as fervently as China.

The 24-time major winner, who doesn't always enjoy the respect he rightfully deserves around the globe, knew what to expect from China — unrivaled fan support, a near-invincible on-court record and a lot of fun immersing himself in the local culture — even before his long-anticipated return to Beijing for this week's China Open.

It's been 11 years since he last played in the Chinese capital, yet the bond he's forged with his "NoleFam" fan group in China has stood the test of time.

The decision of the 39-year-old, who's won it all in the sport, to sign up with a second-tier ATP500 event at the twilight of an illustrious career, when his primary focus is understandably on the Slams, speaks volumes for his gratitude.

"It's been a while. Eleven years have passed since I last played here. I have a great record here and always enjoyed playing in Beijing — and in China in general," Djokovic told a packed news conference in Beijing on Monday, after finishing a practice session swarmed by fans at the National Tennis Center.

"There's a lot of love, a lot of support from Chinese tennis fans. I always look forward to that.

"At this stage of my career, it's really about the tournaments where I enjoy playing, where I had success in the past, where I feel like I'm also welcomed by the fans in a positive way.

"I was trying to make it work (to play in Beijing) in the past few years with the schedule, but the schedule worked in such way where I played only in Shanghai.

"This year, Beijing was on the priority list. I'm really glad I'm here."

Few players in ATP history have dominated a single tournament quite like how Djokovic has ruled the China Open.

The Serbian superstar boasts a flawless record of 29 straight wins in Beijing, racking up six titles across his previous appearances from 2009-15, following his career breakout season in 2008, where he won his first major singles title at the Australian Open and his first Olympic medal, a bronze, in Beijing at the venue he is revisiting this week.

Djokovic also holds the record for most titles won at the Rolex Shanghai Masters, a top-tier ATP1000 event which takes place in the fortnight following Beijing, collecting four trophies from 2012-18 supported by his equally loyal fans in the East China metropolis.

"My 'NoleFam' here in China has been incredible, both in Beijing and Shanghai, over the years. They definitely are the highlight and something I always take with me wherever I go in the world," said Djokovic, who holds the record for most weeks as world No 1 (428).

Still, for arguably the greatest player of all time, the pursuit of a record-breaking 25th major title remains the biggest, and perhaps the only, motivation for him to keep going, having bagged a coveted Olympic gold medal at Paris 2024 and accumulated the most ATP 1000 titles with his 40th trophy secured in November 2023, also in the French capital.

Djokovic, who's currently ranked No 12 in the world, will try to prove he remains within reach of the ultimate 25th Slam with a deep run in Beijing at only his eighth tournament in 2026 and a first below the 1000 level.

He plays 49th-ranked Nuno Borges of Portugal in the first round on the Diamond Court. It will be his first match since a shocking first-round upset by Argentine Mariano Navone at the US Open.

The surprising early exit in New York, however, allowed Djokovic a longer-than-normal break to recover physically and mentally before arriving in Beijing in high spirits.

"Overall, it's been really good so far with the body, the way I'm feeling and playing," said Djokovic, who beat Borges in straight sets in their only previous meeting in the quarterfinals at last year's Athens Open, the Serb's most recent tournament win.

Should he progress smoothly into the quarters, Djokovic will face a stern test with top-seeded German star Alexander Zverev, fresh off his US Open title, likely awaiting him.

Djokovic, however, is serious and ready to go all out from the first serve.

"It's never just for fun," he reiterated. "I could play exhibitions just to enjoy the crowd. I'm playing a professional tournament because I also want to win. That's the primary motivation — always trying to compete and win against the guy across the net on a given day; to try to get as far as you can in a tournament.

"Of course, if you can also compete in a place where you feel good in terms of the conditions, in terms of the crowd support, in terms of the atmosphere, then, of course, it all adds up to an even better performance.

"My record on Chinese soil speaks for itself. Knowing that, it also brings this dimension of confidence that I really need."

Three Chinese players have entered the men's main draw, all through wildcards, with the host's currently highest-ranked ace Buyunchaokete (No 104) taking on Argentine Juan Manuel Cerundolo (No 52), power hitter Zhang Zhizhen (No 165) facing French qualifier Arthur Gea and youngster Shang Juncheng (No 250) challenging another Argentine, Sebastian Baez (No 51), in their respective opening-round clashes.

Should Buyunchaokete and Shang both advance into the second round, they will each run into a huge challenge, with potential matchups against Djokovic and Zverev, respectively, offering some eye-catching second-round encounters for the home fans.