Djokovic debuted in Indian Wells with a difficult victory

Novak Djokovic passed a tough test in his debut in Indian Wellswhere she had not competed since 2019, on a day that left numerous victims among the candidates for the women’s title.

Djokovic He was received with a huge ovation by the around 10,000 fans of the desert Californian town, where he could not travel in recent years due to his refusal to be vaccinated against covid-19.

Djokovic: return with victory in Indian Wells

The world number one, exempt from playing the first round, debuted against Aleksander Vukic, an Australian tennis player of Balkan origins.

Djokovic, who had not competed since his defeat in January in the Australian Open semifinals, needed three sets to get rid of Vukic, number 69 in the ATP, by a score of 6-2, 5-7, 6-3.

“It’s great to come back with a victory. It’s been five years and the feeling is still fantastic. I had a great time,” he declared. Djokovic. “Obviously, I was a little nervous at first. I haven’t played a game in over five weeks.”

“There was a point where I got a little worried about losing the second set and being tied in the third but I tried to stay in the match and raise my level,” he explained.

The Serbian thus reached 400 victories throughout his career in Masters 1000 tournaments, the second highest category after the Grand Slams.

Only Spanish Rafael Nadal, last minute loss in Indian Wells, he won more Masters 1000 matches (406), but Djokovic holds the record for titles with 40.

The rival of ‘Nole’, five-time winner in Indian Wells, in the third round will be the young Italian Luca Nardi, number 123 in the world ranking.

In another second round crossing, Sebastian Baez extended his excellent moment of form beating the Italian Fabio Fognini 7-5 and 6-3.

The Argentinian, winner this year in Santiago and Rio de Janeiro, will meet again with local idol Taylor Fritz, who eliminated him last year also in the third round.

Previously Fritz, champion of the tournament in 2022, had eliminated the last Chilean racket, Alejandro Tabilo, 7-6 (7/2) and 6-2.

Russian Daniil Medvedevcurrent runner-up and fourth seed, took the last victory of the night without difficulties against the Spanish Roberto Carballés by 6-2 and 6-3.

While the male candidates emerged unscathed, the women’s tournament, of WTA 1000 category, suffered a loss of casualties that could have been much greater since Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff also found themselves facing the precipice.

Sabalenka, current runner-up and second place, survived four match points to surpass the young American Peyton Stearns, number 64 in the WTA, by 6-7 (2/7), 6-2 and 7-6 (8-6).

“I think I was right when I got this tattoo of a tiger. Today I fought like a tiger,” congratulated the winner of the Australian Open, who withstood two games in which Stearns served to win.

Without reaching that level of drama, Gauff also looked at the elimination against the French Clara Burel, world number 47.

The American, ranked third, was 0-4 down in the decisive round but, encouraged by her fans, recomposed her game at the last moment and won 2-6, 6-3 and 7-6 (7/4) .

His compatriot and doubles partner, Jessica Pegula fifth seed, he did pack his bags when he fell to the Russian Anna Blinkova by 6-2, 3-6 and 6-3.

The China Qinwen Zheng, runner-up at the Australian Open and eighth ranked, fell 6-4, 6-3 to her compatriot Yue Yuan.

With the abandonment of the Czech Marketa Vondrousova, current Wimbledon champion, Indian Wells has already seen the departure of six of the ten best in the world rankings.

Results Second round in Indian Wells:

Men

• Novak Djokovic (Serbia) defeated Aleksander Vukic (Australia) 6-2, 5-7, 6-3
• Luca Nardi (Italy) defeats Zhizhen Zhang (China) 6-3, 3-6, 6-3
• Tommy Paul (USA) defeats Alex Michelsen (USA) 6-2, 6-2
• Ugo Humbert (France) beats Patrick Kypson (USA) 6-4, 6-4
• Casper Ruud (Norway) to Lukás Klein (Slovakia) 6-4, 7-6 (7/4)
• Arthur Fils (France) defeats Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (Spain) 6-3, 6-4
• Cameron Norrie (Great Britain) defeats Lorenzo Sonego (Italy) 6-4, 6-4
• Gael Monfils (France) defeats Hubert Hurkacz (Poland) 6-0, 6-7 (5/7), 6-2
• Daniil Medvedev (Russia) defeats Roberto Carballés Baena (Spain) 6-2, 6-3
• Sebastian Korda (USA) defeats Roman Safiullin (Russia) 6-4, 6-2
• Adrian Mannarino (France) defeats Tomás Machac (Czech Rep.) 6-1, 6-2
• Grigor Dimitrov (Bulgaria) defeats Alexandre Muller (France) 7-5, 6-2
• Taylor Fritz (USA) defeats Alejandro Tabilo (China) 7-6 (7/2), 6-2
• Sebastián Báez (Argentina) defeats Fabio Fognini (Italy) 7-5, 6-3
• Lorenzo Musetti (Italy) defeats Denis Shapovalov (Canada) 6-4, 2-6, 7-5
• Holger Rune (Denmark) to Milos Raonic (Canada) did not show up

Women

• Yue Yuan (China) defeated Qinwen Zheng (China) 6-4, 6-3
• Caroline Dolehide (USA) defeats Victoria Azarenka (Belarus) 7-5, 2-6, 6-3
• Sloane Stephens (USA beat Sorana Cirstea (Romania) 6-0, 7-5
• Daria Kasatkina (Russia) defeats Océane Dodin (France) 6-3, 7-6 (7/5)
• Naomi Osaka (Japan) defeats Liudmila Samsonova (Russia) 7-5, 6-3
• Elise Mertens (Belgium) defeats Xinyu Wang (China) 6-1, 6-4
• Lucia Bronzetti (Italy) defeats Anhelina Kalinina (Ukraine) 6-3, 6-4
• Cori Gauff (USA) beat Clara Burel (France) 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4)
• Anna Blinkova (Russia) defeats Jessica Pegula (USA) 6-2, 3-6, 6-3
• Diane Parry (France) defeats Leylah Fernandez (Canada) 7-5, 5-7, 6-2
• Caroline Garcia (France) defeats Viktoriya Tomova (Bulgaria) 6-1, 3-6, 6-3
• Maria Sakkari (Greece) beats Diana Shnaider (Russia) 5-7, 6-4, 6-0
• Elina Svitolina (Urania) defeats Katerina Siniaková (Czech Rep.) 6-3, 2-6, 6-1
• Emma Navarro (USA) defeats Lesya Tsurenko (Ukraine) 4-6, 7-5, 7-5
• Emma Raducanu (Great Britain) beats Dayana Yastremska (Ukraine) 4-0 and abandonment
• Aryna Sabalenka (Belarus) beats Peyton Stearns (USA) 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 7-6 (8/6)