Novak Djokovic has had quite a mixed season! After taking some time off and exploring China, he’s back on the court at the Shanghai Masters. Leaving fans wondering if this could be one of his last appearances. However, his return also brings in some excitement! Especially since he’s looking to reclaim his spot in a tournament where he’s always done well. Will he put those retirement whispers to rest and keep chasing greatness?

During his match at the Shanghai Masters on October 8, Novak Djokovic showcased his dominant skills by crushing Flavio Cobolli with a quick 6-1, 6-2 victory in just over an hour! In a post-match interview, a reporter asked, “at this stage of your career you’ve been quite reasonable, and I think we all understand that, placing your priorities at the Slams, and also picking only a few other tournaments….I know it’s too early to talk about next year, but how does that or does that make it maybe a little more stronger push for you to try to do extremely well this week here?”

Djokovic, who is making his first appearance at the Chinese ATP Masters 1000 since 2019, is currently competing in his fifth title at this prestigious tournament. He has already won four titles (2012, 2013, 2015, and 2018) and holds the record for most wins in tournament history with 34 victories. In the Serb’s words,

“Well, I always want to do very well in China, and I think my past results are a testament to how I feel in China. I always had tremendous success, both Beijing and Shanghai. It is definitely due to the incredible love and respect and support I’m getting from the Chinese people.” He further called his connection with China “profound” and gave his fans a hope to do his best and return next year.

Although Novak can’t give a solid confirmation of his schedule going ahead, he remains optimistic about the future, stating, “I don’t know what next year brings in terms of my schedule and so forth. I know that I still want to keep playing. I have to see where I am in my life with my body and everything, but I still have plans to go ahead, you know, as previous years, prioritizing the biggest events, but then I still would like to make my annual trip to China, at least for one tournament, because of the incredible energy and love I feel here.”

Before the Shanghai Masters, Novak Djokovic visited Beijing and the Great Wall of China. Lacoste organized a special event at the Ju Yong Guan pass, where Djokovic played tennis with Chinese actor Wang Yibo. Djokovic also explored the Summer Palace and enjoyed sightseeing in Beijing, wearing a vibrant green tracksuit. Despite his focus on his tennis, Djokovic is also aware of the challenges faced by other players.

Novak wants better player treatment with PTPA

Since 2023, a year in which only two tennis players were featured among the world’s 100 best-paid sportspeople, Djokovic has been vocal about the need for change within professional tennis. “We all definitely want to see a change at the base level because the 150th player on the planet struggles,” Djokovic said last year, when asked about the PTPA’s mission. Having started his professional tennis career nearly 21 years ago, he understands firsthand that “People don’t realize how expensive this sport is.”

Even Ahmad Nassar, the CEO of the PTPA, criticized the current tennis system as biased against players and suboptimal for fans, media, and commercial partners. He called for a long-term transformation to address these issues, emphasizing the need for a 10-year plan to guide the sport towards a more sustainable future.

Previously, it was reported that the difference in earnings between tennis and its other counterpart, golf, is too wide to be overlooked. That is one of the reasons why Djokovic or Nassar are ready to tackle the problem statement.

Nonetheless, while whispers of retirement may surround him, Novak Djokovic shows that he is still super passionate about tennis. It may not be only the fans or the sport. Rather, it is a combination of both which makes him want to do better!