NEW YORK, NEW YORK – AUGUST 30: Novak Djokovic of Serbia thanks the fans after his five set loss against Mariano Navone of Argentina during their Men’s Singles First Round match on Day One of the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on August 30, 2026 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)
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Novak Djokovic officially confirmed his upcoming appearance in the Beijing Open running Sept. 28 – Oct. 6.
The event first announced the news Sept. 1.
It is the 24-time major champion’s first appearance at the event in 11 years.
World No. 1 Jannik Sinner, the Wimbledon champion, and No. 2 Alexander Zverev, the newly-minted U.S. Open champion, are both also in the field.
“I’m very happy to announce that I’m coming back after many years to play in Beijing at the China Open,” Djokovic said in a message on his Instagram story.
“I am excited to come back and perform in front of all of you at the National Tennis Centre – one of the nicest venues we have in tennis.
“A place where I had some incredible memories and great success throughout my career.
“I want to thank all the Chinese fans for for their continuous love and support for so many years.
“Can’t wait to perform in front of you. See you very soon.”
Djokovic dropped out of the ATP Top 10 to No. 12 after losing in the first round of the U.S. Open to Mariano Navone while battling a health issue he previously said had bothered him “for many years now.”
“I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me,” Djokovic told reporters, per Yahoo Sports. “I struggled since the fourth game of the match. I don’t want to take too much [away from] his win. Congrats to him. He’s a nice guy, fighter, but you know, I didn’t enjoy myself.”
Asked if he could fix his medical problem, Djokovic said: “”I don’t know. I’m trying, man. I’m trying. Let’s see.”
Meantime, John McEnroe was asked if 2027 could be Djokovic’s final year on tour.
“Well, you would certainly think so,” he said. “He’s 39 for starters, you know, when it’s just way past most people’s expiration date and tennis, including mine. Will he stop next year? It seems like it’s gonna be soon. You would think that’s a strong possibility, but we’ll have to wait and see.”
He added: “Coming to the U.S. Open, he was probably the 3rd or the 4th best player in the world. So what we saw in the first round was shocking. Father time, as they say, is undefeated.”
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