The world number one pulled out of the ongoing China Open in Beijing with an elbow injury but has now recovered and will begin as one of the heavy favourites when the Masters 1000 event gets underway at the futuristic-looking Qi Zhong Stadium tomorrow.

Having been handed a first-round bye, Djokovic will play the winner of the match between Italy’s Fabio Fognini and Albert Ramos-Vinolas of Spain.

The 12-time Grand Slam-winning Serb's route to the final could also see him have to go through Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov, who beat Rafael Nadal of Spain at the China Open, and either Australia’s Nick Kyrgios, through to this week’s Japan Open final, or recent Shenzhen Open winner Tomas Berdych of the Czech Republic.  

The 29-year-old is joined by fourth seed Nadal in the top half of the draw, with second seed Andy Murray projected to face-off against third seed Wawrinka in the other semi-final.

Britain's Murray could also face a number of the hottest players on tour, including the likes of France’s Lucas Pouille, winner in Metz last month, and either Rio 2016 silver medallist Juan Martín Del Potro of Argentina or US Open semi-finalist Gael Monfils of France.

The 56-player draw is comprised of 45 direct entrants, four wildcards and seven qualifiers with the top eight seeds receiving first-round byes.

"We are ready for what is going to be an amazing tournament once again," tournament director Michael Luevano said.

"The world’s greatest tennis players will grace the courts at Qi Zhong for what will be a festival of amazing matches.

"Our fans and all of us at the Shanghai Rolex Masters are so looking forward to welcoming the best of the best and to celebrate the important eighth anniversary of our tournament, which is also their tournament.

"For the Chinese people, eight is a lucky number.

"This makes the 2016 Shanghai Rolex Masters a very special tournament and we hope that every player, from our qualifiers to our doubles teams to the singles players right up to the top, will feel special."

Among the most notable absentees is world number five Kei Nishikori with the Japanese player withdrawing due to injury.

Nishikori was forced to retire from his second-round match at the Japan Open in Tokyo on Wednesday (October 5) after sustaining a buttock muscle problem while leading Portugal's Joao Sousa 4-3 in the first set.

Also not competing in Shanghai is Swiss legend Roger Federer who is missing the second half of the season to fully recover from his knee surgery, which he had last February.