Djokovic claws out win in return to Indian Wells
Novak Djokovic struggled to a winning comeback at the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters five years after his last appearance, defeating Aleksandar Vukic 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 on Saturday. World number one Djokovic, who had not played since losing an Australian Open semi-final to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in January, 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 Slam champion has won his last 11 Masters matches, collecting titles last season in Cincinnati and Paris Bercy.
Djokovic wasn’t the only top player to be tested. Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka saved four match points on the way to her 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) second-round victory over 64th-ranked Peyton Stearns, and US Open champion Coco Gauff rallied in the final set to beat France’s Clara Burel 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4). Djokovic admitted to some nerves in his first match since Melbourne. He 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 for 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, 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. “I was a bit nervous at the beginning, you know, whether I’m going to start off well,” Djokovic said. “I had not played a match in more than five weeks. “He made me produce some really important points in games in order to prevail. “I’m glad that I was pushed, which is important.”
Women’s world number two Sabalenka had an even tougher time against Stearns. After saving four match points she needed four of her own and rolled an ankle along the way. “This match definitely goes into the book of craziest and the best matches of my career,” she said. “She played incredible tennis. I kept telling myself, ‘Stay there, fight for every point. You never know what’s going to happen. “This is the match for crazy comebacks - and I did it,” added Sabalenka, who next faces Emma Raducanu who advanced when Dayana Yastremska retired while trailing 4-0 because of illness. — AFP