2013 China Open - Rafael Nadal might need extra effort to reclaim his old spot atop the ATP world ranking as current world's no. 1, Novak Djokovic, promised to fight for it at all cost starting Monday in Beijing, China.
Nadal's hard court domination is about to hit Beijing next week for the start of ATP 500 China Open. The Spaniard won the same tournament way back in 2005, but Djokovic has steadily built a dynasty on Beijing's tennis ground by winning the title thrice in the last 4 years.
However, the real battle tennis fans will be closely watching this week is the Nadal-Djokovic showdown for the top spot in the ATP world ranking. After his amazing hard court run that saw him winning the Montreal Masters, Cincinnati Masters and U.S. Open championship this September, Nadal narrowed Djokovic's lead down to 260 points.
Moreover, the Spanish Bull will not be defending any point in the Asian circuit of the ATP Tour after skipping last season with an injured knee. Nadal can easily claim the no. 1 ranking if he reaches the final of China Open or if Djokovic fails to reach the semis.
Still, Djokovic remains confident of his chance to stay atop the ATP Tour, insisting he will defend his status as the world's top men's singles player at all cost.
"As long as there is a chance, I will fight for top spot," Djokovic told reporters, according to Sports Mole. "No doubt he has the best results this year. This year he's been the best player in the world. I have been having ups and downs throughout the year, but still was quite a good season," he added.
The Serb added that his dominance in Asian hard court scene bodes well for him going forward.
"I want to focus on this week's China Open because this is where I traditionally play well," said Djokovic, who will face Czech Republic's Lukas Rosol - the same person who upset Nadal in the second round of the 2012 Wimbledon Open.
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