Novak Djokovic is optimistic about his fitness ahead of the China Open, where he aims to regain momentum following a surprising first-round loss at the US Open last month. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, who is 39 years old, faced shoulder and back issues during his US Open match against Mariano Navone, which ended with Djokovic vomiting mid-game.
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This week, Djokovic will compete for the first time since that defeat, facing Portugal's Nuno Borges in the first round in Beijing. He expressed a positive outlook on his condition, stating, “Yeah, feeling good so far,” during a press conference on Monday.
He acknowledged the difference between practice and official matches, saying, “Let's see. Obviously, it's completely different when you're playing an official match compared with practice sets or practice sessions. But so far, so good.” Djokovic's history in China is impressive; he has won the China Open six times from 2009 to 2015 and holds a perfect 29-0 record at the ATP 500 tournament.
The quest for a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title is one of Djokovic's last major goals, and he has become more selective with his tournament entries in recent years. He noted, “At this stage of my career, it's really also about the tournaments where I enjoy playing, where I've had success in the past, where I feel like I'm also welcomed by the fans in a positive light.” He also mentioned that he has not played in China for 11 years, hoping to prioritize Beijing on his schedule this year.