“I’ve decided to play a full Grand Slam season next year. Grand Slams are Grand Slams. They’re different from every other tournament, they’re the foundation of our sport and the most important events we have. Although, I think I actually have a better shot now that we’re playing best of three at the other tournaments. Two week Masters events might suit me better at this point,” Djokovic said, explaining his plans.
A symbolic marker arrives mid-month. On September 14, Djokovic drops out of the ATP top ten for the first time in more than eight years. His ranking has not dictated his schedule for a long time, but the number still stings, and it is likely part of why he chose this exact moment, while attention is highest, to lay out what comes next. We reported earlier this month that he had slipped to 11th in the ATP rankings, and that story now has its sequel.
His first concrete move after the US Open was entering the ATP 500 event in Beijing, which runs from September 28 to October 6. He returns to China after an eleven year absence, and the numbers there are striking: six titles from six appearances, a perfect record. It matters, too, that his spot in the draw was not automatic the way it is at Grand Slams and Masters events. He had to actively enter the tournament, which is itself a sign of how much he wants to play there.
Beijing this year features seven players from the Top 10, with Jannik Sinner, Alexander Zverev, Felix Auger Aliassime, Flavio Cobolli and Daniil Medvedev on the preliminary entry list. Sources diverge slightly on the last name on that list: b92 includes Alex de Minaur among the entrants, while nova.rs names Jakub Mensik in that spot instead. Either way, the list remains preliminary and could still change with late withdrawals.