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The world's top player Novak Djokovic will make his highly anticipated return to this year's China Open, organizers confirmed on Monday.
With Djokovic returning, the China Open will feature two of the "Big Four" on the ATP World Tour; this year's French Open winner Rafael Nadal recently confirmed he will play in the Beijing tournament.
This is the tenth year since the inaugural China Open and Alfred Zhang, China Open tournament director, said this year's tournament, to be held during the National Day holiday from Sept 22 to Oct 6, should be an exciting one for fans. It is the richest tournament in Asia in terms of prize money and will host the world's top WTA and ATP players.
"We have promised to present the best players to our fans and we are excited to be able to announce that World No 1 Djokovic will come back to Beijing to defend his title," Zhang said. "To have both Novak and Rafael playing at the 10th anniversary is great news for fans in China."
The Serbian boasts a thriving fan base in China and he has admitted that he has a deep affinity for Beijing, having never lost a match en route to three championships in 2009, 2010 and 2012.
Djokovic said in a statement that he is very fond of Chinese culture and interacts constantly with Chinese fans. Last year, he showed off his skills in speaking Mandarin and writing Chinese calligraphy to his fans. He also celebrated last year's China Open victory with a Gangnam Style dance with the ball kids. "I always look forward to traveling to Beijing in October," Djokovic said in a statement. "The magnificent venue, the great organization and especially the enthusiastic fans all make me feel good. I can't wait to return to the Diamond Court (the tournament's central court) and play the China Open again."
Zhang said Djokovic is always welcome back to the tournament.
"Djokovic has a 15-match winning streak here in Beijing and is always a fan's favorite. We expect to welcome him back in October," said Zhang.
China Daily
