Novak Djokovic loves China, and he keeps returning to the country. In China, he always wears one particular colour, which he explained after his most recent match at the 2024 Shanghai Masters.
The Serbian player has enjoyed a lot of success in China over the years. In fact, he's the most successful player in the history of the Shanghai Masters, winning the title four times and holding numerous other records at the tournament.
He reached at least the quarter-finals every time he competed at the tournament, including this year. That came after his win over Roman Safiullin, which was a dominant performance from the 37-year-old.
But there is another impressive stat about Djokovic and the Shanghai Masters. Apart from 2009, when he wore a dark t-shirt with orange lines, the Serbian player wore red every single time he competed at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai.
Novak Djokovic at the 2024 Shanghai Masters
Fans recently noticed this, so it wasn't a surprise when Djokovic was asked about wearing red at the Shanghai Masters after his most recent win at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament.
One of the reporters asked the Serbian player whether it was just a coincidence that he also wore red in China or whether he was aware of the importance of the colour in the country.
Red is important in China. It's a traditional colour used during Chinese New Year celebrations or even weddings. The Chinese flag is predominantly red, and Djokovic was seemingly aware of this.
Answering the question, the 24-time major champion admitted that he was aware of the importance of red in Chinese culture and, therefore, purposefully always chose to wear red when playing in the country.
"I know. I'm not the only one that knows that. I think the whole world knows that. Of course, I do it intentionally, I wear red as a respect to Chinese culture and tradition. So, you know, hopefully red brings luck, I mean, it does, actually (laughing), I've been playing well in red, so I keep the tradition going."
The 37-year-old also spoke about his love for China, especially his fans who adore him. They even waited for him at the airport this year when he returned for the first time since 2019.
"I love China, I've had a lots of success in China, I have lots of fans here, people that support me over the years."
Red has brought Djokovic a lot of luck in China in the past, and he will hope that it will repeat this year. Wanting to add to his four Shanghai Masters titles, he's only three matches away from lifting the trophy.
The Serbian player will play against Jakub Mensik in the quarter-finals of the ATP Masters 1000 tournament. In the previous round of the tournament, Mensik eliminated Grigor Dimitrov.