At last, Novak Djokovic is getting the adulation he deserves.

On a remarkable night at the China Open in Beijing, a huge crowd were in attendance to watch a Serbian tennis player take on a Chinese rival.

Yet it was the Djokovic who had most of the support from a vocal Chinese crowd, with the 24-time Grand Slam winning legend speaking about how much the reaction of the crowd meant to him.

“I had to pinch myself,” said Djokovic, when he was asked about the crowd support after his 4-6, 7-6(2), 6-2 win against Bu Yunchaokete.

“I honestly did not expect that, playing against a Chinese player. I’m very thankful to them. I try to give them good performances on the court.”

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While Djokovic has always had a strong level of support when he has played in China and Asia in general, the find of adulation that came his way against a Chinese player was stunning.

There have been so many times when Djokovic has be cast in the role of the villain by tennis fans around the world and often, without any good reason.

Most legends of a sport of treated with respect and admiration, but Djokovic has not always got the acclaim he is due after cementing his legend as the most successful male tennis player of all-time.

He owns all the key records in the men’s game, including winning the most Grand Slam titles and setting the record for most weeks as world No 1.

Yet Djokovic has often been battling negativity from fans when he has played at events like Wimbledon and even at the Australian Open last year, as the 10-time champion in Melbourne was booed after he was forced to retire in his semi-final against Alexander Zverev.

The German leapt to Djokvoic’s defence after that unfortunate incident and now Djokovic could be in line for a re-match against Zverev in his next match at the China Open.

This latest win against Bu ensured his remarkable record in this event was extended to 31-0, even though he struggled physically at the start of the match and appeared to be close to defeat at times in the second set.

“I had to play very well. I had to serve well in the right moments,” added Djokovic.

“It was quite a breeze from one end of the court. I played kind of easier with the wind in my back than it facing you, so most of the breaks came from the side with the wind. He was so solid. I struggled to really find holes in his game and was hitting his spots really well with his serve.

“He was mixing things up really well in the rallies from the back of the court with some short slices and coming in. Credit to him for playing well. The atmosphere was amazing. Packed stadium again for three hours — what a match to be a part of.”

Djokovic has spoken about enjoying the love that is coming his way from tennis fans at the back end of his career and this latest night of acclaim may be one of his most cherished memories in China.

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