Indian Wells: Djokovic, Five-Time Champion, Exits in First Round

Synopsis

Novak Djokovic, a five-time champion, faced a surprising defeat in the first round of the Indian Wells Open against lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp. This marks Djokovic's third consecutive loss, raising concerns about his form as he navigates injuries.

Key Takeaways

Djokovic suffers a shocking first-round defeat.
Van de Zandschulp continues his giant-killing streak.
Djokovic's third consecutive loss raises eyebrows.
Injuries have impacted Djokovic's performance in 2025.
Van de Zandschulp's win adds to his impressive reputation.

Indian Wells, March 9 (NationPress) Novak Djokovic, a five-time champion, faced an unexpected defeat in the opening round of the Indian Wells Open at the hands of lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp on Sunday (IST).

Van de Zandschulp stunned Djokovic with a score of 6-2, 3-6, 6-1, further solidifying his growing reputation as a giant killer. He became the second lucky loser in consecutive years to triumph over Djokovic at Indian Wells, following the path of Luca Nardi last year.

This marks Djokovic's third consecutive loss, a situation he hasn't faced since 2018 during an injury-plagued season. He has also been managing injuries in 2025, having strained his hamstring at the Australian Open.

"It was just a bad day at the office for me. I regret the level of my tennis, especially considering my training lately. The disparity between the center court and the other courts is significant. The ball bounces higher on center courts than on some of the highest clay courts," Djokovic commented.

After withdrawing from his semi-final match at the Australian Open against Alexander Zverev, losing to Matteo Berrettini in his Doha opener, and now falling to Van de Zandschulp, it is only the second time since 2008 that Djokovic has experienced three consecutive defeats (following the 2018 Australian Open-Miami).

The Serbian, who holds the record for the most titles (40), finals (59), and semi-finals (78) at the ATP Masters 1000 level, missed the opportunity to equal Rafael Nadal for the most match victories in Masters 1000 history, although he remains the all-time leader in Masters titles.

Van de Zandschulp took advantage of an unusually error-prone opening set from Djokovic and displayed remarkable shot-making skills in the decisive set, ultimately winning after two hours and one minute. With this victory, he secured his eighth win against a Top 10 opponent and achieved back-to-back wins on the ATP Tour for the first time in 2025, according to ATP reports.

Van de Zandschulp has a more substantial reputation than his Italian counterpart, having previously defeated Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal last season, in addition to a victory over Nick Kyrgios on Thursday.