Sept 29 (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic said he was encouraged by the way his body was responding ahead of the China Open as the 24-times Grand Slam champion looks to regain momentum at a happy hunting ground after recent fitness concerns.
Djokovic will return to action for the first time since his shock opening-round defeat by Mariano Navone at the US Open late last month, when the 39-year-old struggled with shoulder and back problems and vomited midway through the match.
The world number 11 will look to put those problems behind him when he takes on Portugal’s Nuno Borges in the first round in Beijing this week.
“Yeah, feeling good so far,” six-times China Open champion Djokovic told reporters on Monday.
“Let’s see. Obviously it’s completely different when you’re playing an official match compared to practice sets or practice sessions. But so far so good.
“I was looking forward to coming to China, as I always have. My record speaks for itself on Chinese soil.
“Knowing that, it also brings this dimension of confidence that I really need. Overall, it’s been really good so far with the body, the way I’m feeling and playing.”
The former world number one is a massive draw in Beijing, where he won the title in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 and holds a 29-0 win-loss record at the ATP 500 tournament.
The pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title remains one of the few major targets left for Djokovic, who has become increasingly selective about his tournament schedule in recent years.
“At this stage of my career it’s really also about the tournaments where I enjoy to play, where I’ve had the success in the past, where I feel like I’m also welcomed by the fans in a positive light, in a positive way,” Djokovic added.
“The history of my results on Chinese soil has been incredible. I haven’t played here 11 years. I was trying to make it work in the past years with the schedule, but it worked in such way where I played only Shanghai.
“This year Beijing was on the priority list.”
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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