NOVAK DJOKOVIC will return to competitive tennis at the Shanghai Masters next month.
The tournament organisers confirmed this will be his first appearance since his semi-final defeat to Carlos Alcaraz at the US Open.
The Serbian star has won the Shanghai Masters four times previously.
He is set to make his 14th main-draw appearance at the event as he aims for a strong finish to the season.
Djokovic has been unable to win a Grand Slam title this year, with world number one Alcaraz and number two Jannik Sinner claiming the major honours.
The tournament announced his return with a post on social media stating, “He’s back. Our four-time champ, @DjokerNole will return to Shanghai this year.”
The 24-time major winner has found it challenging to overcome the new leading duo in men’s tennis over the past two seasons.
Following his US Open exit, Djokovic noted that best-of-three set matches offer him a better chance of success.
The 38-year-old reached the final in Shanghai last year but lost in straight sets to Jannik Sinner.
This year’s Shanghai Masters tournament is scheduled to run from October 1 to October 12. – Reuters