TENNIS ATP NEWS – NOVAK DJOKOVIC TAKES WILD CARD INTO ABIERTO MEXICANO TELCEL, JOINS FIELD WITH NADAL, RAONIC, & THIEM BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 24th February 2017

TENNIS ATP NEWS - NOVAK DJOKOVIC TAKES WILD CARD INTO ABIERTO MEXICANO TELCEL, JOINS FIELD WITH NADAL, RAONIC, & THIEM BY RICKY DIMON

epa05723535 Novak Djokovic of Serbia in action against Fernando Verdasco of Spain during their men's Singles first round match of the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 17 January 2017. EPA/DEAN LEWINS AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND OUT |

Djokovic takes wild card into Abierto Mexicano Telcel, joins field with Nadal, Raonic, and Thiem

Novak Djokovic is making a previously unanticipated appearance in between the Australian Open and the BNP Paribas Open in Indian, and it will happen at next week’s Abierto Mexicano Telcel in Acapulco. Djokovic announced on Thursday that he has taken a late wild card into the 500-point tournament.

“I have great news to share with you,” the world No. 2 posted on Facebook. “I am flying to Mexico for the first time to play the Acapulco Open next week. I can’t wait to compete again and meet my Mexican fans!”

The Acapulco field already featured Milos Raonic, Rafael Nadal, Marin Cilic, Juan Martin Del Potro, David Goffin Nick Kyrgios, John Isner, Jack Sock, and defending champion Dominic Thiem. It is more than fair to say that Thiem’s title defense is going to be tough–and even tougher now that Djokovic is on board.

“This is great news for the tournament,” director Raul Zurutuza said of Djokovic’s entry. “We’re very pleased to have the world No. 2 in the Acapulco field. The public will be very happy and we’re treating it like a big party. Novak and Rafa are two great players that give very important value to the tournament. Also having Raonic, Del Potro and Goffin in the field will make this a great event.”

Other participants include Gilles Simon, Ivo Karlovic, Bernard Tomic, Mischa Zverev, Feliciano Lopez, and Borna Coric.

Djokovic and Nadal have not played since very different–but similarly newsworthy–Australian Open campaigns. The Serb lost in stunning fashion, to Denis Istomin in a five-setter during second-round action. Nadal went all the way to the title match before losing in five sets to now 18-time Grand Slam champion Roger Federer.