Djokovic struggles in winning return
Novak Djokovic struggled to a winning comeback at the ATPWTA Indian Wells Masters five years after his last appearance, defeating Aleksandar Vukic 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 on Saturday.
World No.1 Djokovic, who had not played since losing an Australian Open semi-final to Jannik Sinner on January 26, is chasing a sixth title at the desert venue in the season’s first Masters event.
The 36-year-old Serb captured the 400th Masters-level victory of his career, joining Rafael Nadal as the only men to reach the 400 milestone at the elite level.
The 24-time Grand champion has won his
Slam last 11
Masters matches, collecting titles last season in Cincinnati and Paris Bercy.
Djokovic claimed the opening set in 35 minutes with two service breaks but had to come from a break down in the third against his 69th-ranked Australian opponent.
Vukic held to 6-5 in the second set and landed a reflex service return winner on the line to square the match at a set each.
In the third set, top seed Djokovic broke for a 3-2 edge and closed out victory with a second break after just over two hours, notching his 51st win at the tournament where he first competed in 2006.
“It was difficult to go through him. He played amazing,” Djokovic said of Vukic. “He was ripping his forehand and crushing his serve.
“In the third set I managed to crack the code. I stepped it up and finished the match in great style.”
Danish seventh seed Holger Rune was handed a free ride into the third round when former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic of Canada pulled out of their match with an injury.
US 12th seed Taylor Fritz dispatched Alejandro Tabilo of Chile 7-6 (7/2), 6-2.
Britain’s Cameron Norrie reached the third round over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-4.
Coco Gauff rallied from four games down in the final set to defeat France’s Clara Burel 26, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4) on Saturday at the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters.
The reigning US Open champion’s fightback into the third round took more than two and a quarter hours, coming after a first-round bye.
World number three Gauff was playing in front of a home crowd for the first time since winning her first Grand Slam title six months ago.
Gauff, who turns 20 next Wednesday, broke a WTA record by reaching 50 wins as a teenager at the Masters 1000 level, a category established in 2009.
Gauff trailed her 47thranked French opponent 4-0 in the deciding third set, but was able to power back and throw it into a tiebreaker.
She advanced on her third match point as Burel hit wide.
“I’m happy with the mental fight,” Gauff said. “It was not my best tennis … but it’s how you show up on your worst days, not your best ones, that counts.” Gauff said that after dropping the opening set, she had to change strategy by trying to play more aggressive.