Novak Djokovic apologises to Chinese fans following brutal airport gaffe which left them devastated – after waiting five years for him to return for Shanghai Open

Novak Djokovic has apologised to fans in China after he accidentally swerved them on his airport arrival in Shanghai.

Supporters had been waiting five years for the world No 4 to return to China, where he has been popular ever since he spoke fluent Mandarin for his 2018 Shanghai Masters winner’s speech. 

Now, he is back in the country for the tournament, a title he has won a record four times.

Fans had been waiting to greet him but the 37-year-old was escorted to a different airport exit, meaning their wait had been in vain.

However, he did bump into a contingent the next day and said, as per Sportal: ‘I am in China after five years and I miss you. I’m so sorry, really sorry that we didn’t meet at the airport yesterday.

The world No 4 – in China for the Shanghai Masters – had been escorted to a different exit than the one where fans who had not seen him in five years were waiting 

‘I was sad when I found out. I didn’t know you were there. They took me to another exit. 

‘I hope to see many of you in Beijing or Shanghai soon. I’m excited to be in China, mostly because of you who have been following me for years. I love you. I love you all.’

Most of the top stars are in action in Shanghai, with Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz also among those competing at the penultimate ATP 1000 Masters event of the year. 

That said, Great Britain’s Jack Draper will not be competing because he withdrew after injuring himself at the Japan Open on Saturday.

He was treated for an abdominal problem during his quarter-final against Frenchman Ugo Humbert and eventually pulled out.  

The Shanghai Masters has not been played since 2019 due to the Covid pandemic. The winner is set to bag £820,000.

Djokovic will either face world No. 49 Alex Michelsen or world No. 96 Yunchaokete Bu in his first assignment.