Novak Djokovic ends 9-year Indian Wells wait with latest three-set win | ATP Tour
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Djokovic ends Indian Wells’ 9-year wait with latest three-set win
The third dropped Kovacevic to R4 for the first time since 2017
March 09, 2026
ATP Tour
Novak Djokovic is playing for the 17th time at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
Written by Jerome Coombe
Novak Djokovic may have endured his fair share of problems of late at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, but the five-time champion took another step forward on Monday with an emphatic victory.
The former PIF ATP Rankings No. 1 battled past American Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 to book his place in the fourth round of an ATP Masters 1000 event for the first time since 2017. It’s the second match in a row this week that Djokovic has needed three sets against Kamilza to start his hard-fought battle.
Click W! 😤@DjokerNole he is coming off a tough opponent in Kovacevic, earning his place in the fourth round for the first time since 2017. @BNPPARIBASOPEN | #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/Hj8fpoLAla
– ATP Tour (@atptour) March 9, 2026
“It was a good game by Aleks. We know each other. We speak the same language. His whole family is from Serbia,” said Djokovic. “It’s great to see him doing well. He’s played a great tournament so far. I knew that if he worked well and picked places, it would be difficult to finish him. That’s what happened.”
Although Djokovic is a five-time Indian Wells champion – tied with Roger Federer for the most titles in the tournament’s history – the 38-year-old admitted he has struggled to regain his form in the California desert in recent seasons. Last year he suffered a shock opening-round loss to Botic van de Zandschulp, and on Saturday he was forced to go deep when he struggled with physical discomfort in his victory over Majchrzak.
Djokovic, however, continued to navigate difficult trials during his 17th appearance at the event. The player from Serbia will face champion Jack Draper or Francisco Cerundolo from Argentina to book a place in the quarter-finals.
“I don’t always enjoy myself, to be honest,” Djokovic said when asked about the demands of the match with Kovacevic. “You try to be successful in these types of situations when you’re facing a lights-out volleyball opponent… But winning badly, right? That’s what matters. I’m happy to be able to overcome the challenge today.”
Kovacevic, who first met his idol Djokovic at Flushing Meadows in 2005, pushed the 24-time major champion throughout the tournament. The American finished the opening set strongly, winning 13 points in a row before leveling the match with an inspired second serve that capitalized on Djokovic’s mid-game dip.
In the decider, Djokovic settled down and began to find his range in the desert, despite clutching his ankle after an extended point in the third game. Djokovic has now won 34 of his last 35 matches after winning the first set, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index, his only loss in that span against the World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final in January.
With the victory, Djokovic became the second oldest player to reach the fourth round of an ATP Masters 1000 event since the series began in 1990, behind only Ivo Karlovic, who won the event at Indian Wells in 2019 at the age of 40.
