Novak Djokovic is set to face Grigor Dimitrov in an exhibition match in Bulgaria next month as the Serbian’s schedule starts to become clear for the remainder of the season.
Djokovic became an Olympic champion over the weekend, clinching gold after beating Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets at Roland Garros to land the only accolade that was missing from his unbelievable CV.
The 37-year-old secured the victory for Serbia with two consecutive tiebreaks with a 7-6, 7-6 success. However, Djokovic is not showing any sign of slowing down after completing his trophy cabinet with Olympic gold.
It has been announced that he will be competing in Sofia in September, taking on ex-rival Dimitrov. The match has been organised by the Grigor Dimitrov Foundation and will take place at the Arena Sofia on September 17.
Djokovic has only competed in Bulgaria on one occasion previously, though he is expected to attract a significant crowd to the event. The Foundation raises funds to support Bulgarian children in difficult circumstances.
The trip to Bulgaria will be a break for Djokovic from his gruelling calendar, albeit he will still be competing against Dimitrov for the 14th time. He boasts a 13-1 record against the 33-year-old.
With momentum running high after his victory in the Paris Olympics, Djokovic is set to bid for glory at the US Open, where he could come up against the revenge-seeking Alcaraz.
It has also been announced that the 24-time Grand Slam winner will be competing at the Shanghai Masters in a decision which may indicate that the Serb is hoping to compete more regularly. Djokovic played a more tailored schedule recently this year to ensure that he was primed for the trip to France, though competing at the Masters 1000 in China suggests a change of plan is set to be deployed.
In a short but sweet announcement, Djokovic said: “Hello! I can’t wait to be back to play in the Rolex Shanghai Masters. You are so great China, I love you – thank you!”
The Shanghai Masters begins on September 29 and runs through until October 13. Djokovic has won the title on four occasions previously, with his last success coming in 2018.