Novak Djokovic clawed out a hard-fought 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 victory over American Aleksandar Kovacevic on Monday, advancing to the round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells — his first appearance at that stage of the tournament since 2017.
The Serbian legend, ranked 72nd in the world, was returning to competitive tennis for the first time since falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final back in January. He found himself tested from start to finish by the 27-year-old New York native, who peppered the 24-time Grand Slam champion with an impressive 16 aces throughout the match.
A Record-Tying Champion Under Pressure
Djokovic holds five Indian Wells titles to his name, placing him level with Swiss great Roger Federer for the most in tournament history. However, the former World No. 1 hasn’t reached the quarterfinals in the California desert since his last title run in 2016. This week, he needed to grind through two consecutive three-set battles simply to return to the last 16.
How the Match Unfolded
Djokovic seized control early in the first set with a timely break and managed to protect his advantage through to the finish. But Kovacevic was far from done. The American held at love in his final two service games of the opener, then dominated the second set as a visibly frustrated Djokovic struggled to find his rhythm.
The 38-year-old Serb dug deep in the decisive third set. Despite taking a tumble in the eighth game, Djokovic kept his composure and found a way to close out the match.
What’s Next
Djokovic will next face Great Britain’s defending champion Jack Draper, with a coveted spot in the quarterfinals on the line.
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