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Novak eyes No. 1 finish to epic year

Novak Djokovic has bounced back from his US Open defeat by Andy Murray © PA Photos

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Novak Djokovic has hailed the 2012 season as one of the finest for men's tennis in a decade as he targets the season-end No. 1 spot.

The Serbi has bounced back from his US Open final defeat by Andy Murray in impressive fashion, winning a third China Open title in Beijing on Sunday and opening his Shanghai Masters campaign with a comfortable second-round victory over Grigor Dimitrov.

And the five-time grand slam champion believes Murray's success, coupled with Roger Federer's resurgence, Rafael Nadal's strong season before being laid low by injury and his own form have made for a fascinating season for fans of the sport.

"Any loss in the finals of a grand slam against anybody is tough, but after the match I was glad that Andy won a grand slam - he deserves it definitely," Djokovic told Sky Sports.

"It was a fantastic match to be a part of, very exciting, and right now I've been focused on the Asian tournaments - it was a great week in Beijing."

While Djokovic has failed to meet the stellar standards he set last season, when he claimed three of the four grand slam titles and at one stage laid claim to a 43-match winning streak, he remains in contention to regain the top spot in the rankings currently occupied by Federer.

"The main objective is to try to get to No. 1 in the world and finish the year in his position," Djokovic continued. "Roger had a fantastic year, and Andy and Rafa [Nadal], so I think this is probably one of the most interesting years in men's tennis in the last decade.

"It's great for the sport, it brings a lot of attention, [generates] a lot of popularity, and I'm really thrilled to be a part of this era."

"We'll see," Djokovic added when asked about the likelihood of overhauling Federer over the next month. "I need to play really well and consistently in the last couple of tournaments of the year to achieve my objective."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.