Former world No.1 Novak Djokovic faced a tough challenge from American Aleksandar Kovacevic but managed to secure a victory, winning 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 to progress to the fourth round of the Indian Wells Open. This marks Djokovic’s second consecutive three-set match this week, following a demanding opener against Kamil Majchrzak.
By reaching his 113th round of 16 at Masters 1000 events, Djokovic surpasses Rafael Nadal and now holds the all-time record. He is now set to compete in the fourth round at Indian Wells for the first time since 2017 and will go up against defending champion Jack Draper in the next match.
Despite Kovacevic’s impressive 16 aces against Djokovic, he couldn’t maintain his serve in the final game, leading to Djokovic’s victory. Djokovic acknowledged Kovacevic’s strong performance, particularly highlighting his exceptional serving skills and commending his opponent’s efforts.
In another match, 2021 champion Cameron Norrie secured his 13th career Top 10 win by defeating Australia’s Alex de Minaur 6-4, 6-4 in Stadium 3. This victory marks Norrie’s second win in the California desert and sets him up to face either Alexander Bublik or Rinky Hijikata in the upcoming round.
