5-time Indian Wells champion Novak Djokovic will compete on the season’s first Masters 1000 occasion in March. The organizers confirmed Djokovic’s second consecutive participation within the desert after lacking the event between 2020 and 2023.
Novak is 51-10 in Indian Wells, lifting 5 trophies between 2008 and 2016. The legend conquered three titles in a row earlier than dropping tempo, scoring solely 4 wins within the earlier eight Indian Wells encounters. Djokovic will attempt to repair that in a few weeks.
The veteran injured his left leg in Melbourne initially of the season. He returned to motion in Doha and fell to Matteo Berrettini within the first spherical.
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Novak left Doha limping, however he must be fantastic for his subsequent problem. Djokovic will search his forty first Masters 1000 crown in Indian Wells and the milestone one centesimal ATP title. As we already mentioned, the legend had struggled within the desert between 2017 and 2019.
He took a break from the season’s first Masters 1000 occasion and returned final season for the primary time in half a decade. Novak confronted Aleksandar Vukic within the second spherical and prevailed 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 to notch his four-hundredth Masters 1000 victory!
Luca Nardi & Novak Djokovic, Indian Wells 2024© Stream screenshot
The Serb didn’t play at his greatest but it surely was sufficient to beat the primary impediment. Nevertheless, he couldn’t recover from the second! World no. 123 Luca Nardi shocked the five-time winner 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, extending Djokovic’s poor run within the desert.
Novak required a abdomen capsule. He took the second set however failed to make use of that momentum within the decider towards an impressed teenager. The Serb took one level extra, however the Italian grabbed the essential ones. Luca misplaced serve two instances and stole his idol’s serve thrice from 11 possibilities.
Novak Djokovic, Doha 2025© Stream screenshot
Nardi performed daring tennis and landed 36 winners and 41 unforced errors. He left Djokovic on 18 direct factors and outplayed him within the extra superior exchanges. In a few weeks, Novak will attempt to embrace his first deep Indian Wells run since 2016.
The veteran is raring to boost his type and struggle for notable titles this season after conquering the Olympic Video games in August final yr.
