Novak Djokovic’s struggles continued at Indian Wells as he fell to Botic van de Zandschulp 2-6, 6-3, 1-6, marking his second consecutive opening-round defeat. The five-time Indian Wells champion suffered another early exit at a Masters 1000 event, losing his debut match for the second time in the past seven seasons.
Despite insisting he was physically prepared for the first Masters 1000 tournament of the season, Djokovic’s inconsistency was evident. He faced what seemed to be a favorable draw against lucky loser Van de Zandschulp, ranked No. 85, but failed to capitalize.
It was a match to forget for the Serbian, who was far from his best. This loss mirrored his 2024 defeat at Indian Wells, where he was also eliminated by a lucky loser, Luca Nardi. Once dominant at Tennis Paradise, Djokovic has yet to regain his rhythm at the season’s first Masters 1000 event.
Djokovic’s serve was a major issue. While he landed 67% of his first serves and won 63% of those points, his second serve was a liability—winning just 29% of points compared to Van de Zandschulp’s 60%. Errors plagued his performance, preventing him from taking control of the match.
The opening set quickly slipped away from Djokovic as he suffered two consecutive breaks, falling behind 1-4 within just 20 minutes. Van de Zandschulp remained solid, closing out the set 6-2 after winning 13 straight points at one stage.
Although Djokovic found some momentum in the second set, securing a 6-3 win, it wasn’t enough to turn things around. The third set started evenly at 1-1, but Djokovic never regained control. Van de Zandschulp dominated from there, wrapping up the match 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 after two hours and two minutes.
With this victory, world No. 75 Van de Zandschulp—who also defeated Nick Kyrgios—advances to face Argentina’s 25th seed Francisco Cerúndolo in the third round, with a spot in the Round of 16 on the line.
Match Statistics: Djokovic vs. Van de Zandschulp
| Stat | Djokovic | Van de Zandschulp |
|---|---|---|
| Aces | 0 | 4 |
| Double Faults | 3 | 4 |
| 1st Serve % | 67% (49/73) | 71% (58/82) |
| 1st Serve Points Won | 63% (31/49) | 60% (35/58) |
| 2nd Serve Points Won | 29% (7/24) | 71% (17/24) |
| Break Points Saved | 38% (3/8) | 50% (2/4) |
| Service Games Won | 58% (7/12) | 83% (10/12) |
| 1st Return Points Won | 40% (23/58) | 37% (18/49) |
| 2nd Return Points Won | 29% (7/24) | 71% (17/24) |
| Match Duration | 2h 02m | 2h 02m |
