Novak Djokovic adorably embraces his "chicken" nickname, writes camera message in Chinese after Shanghai Masters 3R win

Novak Djokovic celebrated his third-round victory over Flavio Cobolli by signing the on-court camera with his newly discovered Chinese nickname, “Chicken” at the 2024 Shanghai Masters. The four-time Shanghai champion, who returned to the tournament after a five-year hiatus, showcased his playful side, much to the amusement of fans.

Djokovic’s return to the Shanghai Masters was highly anticipated, as the Serbian star aims for his 100th ATP title. Fourth-seeded Serb received a bye into the second round, where he defeated Alex Michelsen 7-6(3), 7-6(9), marking his 10th appearance at the ATP Masters 1000 event. The Serb's next challenge was against the 28th seed Flavio Cobolli, whom he dispatched 6-1, 6-2.

The nickname “Chicken” was revealed to the 37-year-old during a fun promotional video at the Shanghai Masters, where ATP stars reacted to their unique Chinese nicknames. Chinese fans have affectionately dubbed the Serb “hot, in-form chicken,” a metaphor for someone who is a new sensation. This nickname dates back to when Djokovic first burst onto the tennis scene.

After sealing his dominant victory over Cobolli, the former World No. 1 turned to the camera, playfully scrawling the Chinese word for “Chicken.” The Serb shared the moment on his Instagram stories shortly after the match, posting a picture of the camera signing.

Screengrab of the Serb's Instagram story/@djokernole

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"Lot of great support from the fans here in China" - Novak Djokovic on his Shanghai Masters return

Novak Djokovc at the 2024 Paris Olympics (Image source: Getty)

In a pre-tournament press conference, Novak Djokovic referred to China as “one of the happiest places” in his career, expressing his delight at the chance to return.

"It feels great. I missed it. It's been awhile, as you said, five years, coming back to, honestly, one of the happiest places I've had in my career, a place, a country where I had plenty of success on the tennis courts, Beijing and Shanghai, many titles won, great memories," the Serb said.

The Serb expressed his enthusiasm for experiencing the passionate support of Chinese fans once more and mentioned how much he enjoyed being back in the country.

"A lot of great support from the fans here in China. They are probably the most unique, the most passionate fans and, you know, always so dedicated, daily waiting for you, giving you presents and really feeding you with a lot of love and energy. So that's something that I was very excited to experience once again. Yeah, I'm just enjoying my time so far in China," he added.

Novak Djokovic will now take on Russian tennis star Roman Safiullin in the Round of 16 on October 9. Safiullin defeated 13th seed Frances Tiafoe 5-7, 7-5, 7-6(5) in his previous round. This upcoming match will mark the third encounter between Djokovic and Safiullin on the ATP Tour, with the Serbian star holding a commanding 2-0 lead in their head-to-head record.