Novak Djokovic looks forward to more success from Chinese male players

World number one Novak Djokovic gave all thumbs up to the success of Chinese tennis male players like Zhang Zhizhen and Wu Yibing in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua and looks forward to more success from the Chinese male playersDjokovic who is playing the Riyadh Season Tennis Cup in the capital of Saudi Arabia said he was impressed with the performance of the Chinese male players in 2023The rise of the male players like Zhang and Wu is vital for tennis in China and in the mens side having players that are breaking to the top 100 and top 50 in the world and trying to reach the greatest heights and compete for the greatest prices in tournaments in the sport is inspiring for the sports growth Djokovic told news agency XinhuaChina has seen more success in womens tennis The sports growth in the country needs to have male players breaking into the top ranks he addedZhang became the first man from the Chinese mainland to reach the quarterfinals of an ATP 1000 tournament at this years Madrid Open He also reached last 32 in both French Open and US OpenIn July Zhang rose to No 52 in the world rankings the highest position ever held by a Chinese mainland male player The 27yearold finished 58th in the yearend rankingsMeanwhile 24yearold Wu became the first Chinese mainland player to lift an ATP Tour trophy with victory at the Dallas Open in February And he reached his careerhigh ranking of world No 54 in MayAlso ReadSilence is lsquonotrsquo goldenDjokovic also shared his excitement about returning to China and the affection he holds for his Chinese fansI havent been to China since 2019 and I miss the fantastic times and success Ive had in both Beijing and Shanghai Im really looking forward to being back The support and love from my Chinese fans have always been overwhelming he saidOn his first visit to Saudi Arabia Djokovic expressed a keen interest in experiencing Saudi Arabian culture and historyIm here for the first time and theres so much to learn about this captivating country he said adding that he is looking forward to returning before Riyadh Season Tennis Cup 2030 for a more indepth explorationThe tennis star highlighted Saudi Arabias significant achievement in securing the bid for the World Expo 2030 and sees the Expo as a critical platform for countries and regions to showcase their cultural and traditional heritage on a global stageIts a big deal for Saudi Arabia to host the World Expo 2030 It symbolizes the countrys growing presence on the global stage Im thrilled to see Saudi Arabia opening its doors to the worlds best athletes entertainers and business leaders he addedAhead of his Riyadh Season Tennis Cup match against Carlos Alcaraz of Spain on Wednesday Djokovic underscored the significance of this event for tennis in Saudi ArabiaPlaying against Alcaraz one of the top players in the world here in Riyadh is amazing for the sport It reflects the increasing popularity of tennis in the region he statedWith agency inputs