Novak Djokovic has been eliminated at the start of his participation in this year’s Indian Wells. The 24-time Grand Slam title winner was defeated in the second round by Botic van de Zandschulp with a score of 6-2, 3-6, 6-1.
After his elimination in the first match in Doha against Matteo Berrettini, Novak returned to “Tennis Paradise,” where he has won the title five times, but since his last victory in 2017, he has not achieved good results.
This was also the case last year when he was eliminated by Luca Nardi, and it happened again this year when he was defeated by the Dutch tennis player, a “lucky loser” who had been eliminated in the qualifying rounds for the first Masters of the season. Just like the Italian tennis player last season.
“Lucky loser” was the message Botic wrote on the TV camera lens after spoiling Novak’s jubilee – his 500th Masters match.
Not only did he end up in the tournament by sheer chance, but he also had luck in the first round against the injured Nick Kyrgios, and then decided to repay all that unrequested luck by completely deservedly celebrating against Novak in their second head-to-head encounter (the first went to the Serbian tennis player).
Although we’ve worn out the phrase, we got a real “Jekyll and Hyde” performance from Novak somewhere between the first and third, and the second set.
Van de Zandschulp will play against Francisco Cerundolo in the next round, while Djokovic will have to look for his 100th trophy at another tournament.
More details to follow…
Source: B92.net Photo: EPA-EFE/JOHN G. MABANGLO.