Has Djokovic Approached the End of His Tennis Career?
Novak Djokovic’s loss to Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp (2-6, 6-3, 6-1) was not an ordinary defeat in the Indian Wells Masters 1000 tournament. It wasn’t just shocking because it came early in the second round, nor because it was against a “lucky loser” who pulled off a surprise victory against the five-time tournament champion, nor even because the winner was ranked 85th in the world, but rather due to the disappointing performance of the world No. 7.
While van de Zandschulp had some bright moments in his professional career, including seven previous wins against top-10 ranked players, Djokovic, who was hoping to equal the retired Spanish legend Rafael Nadal’s record of 410 wins in Masters tournaments, looked weak, especially in the third set, which his opponent quickly sealed to level their head-to-head record at one win apiece.
This immediately raised a painful and significant question: Has Djokovic’s time at the top of the tennis world come to an end?
Ongoing Struggles
The reality is that the 37-year-old Serbian star arrived in California hoping for positive results after deciding to compete in both Indian Wells and Miami for the first time since 2019. However, his dreams were shattered quickly, despite being a record 24-time Grand Slam champion.
After defeating Spanish rising star Carlos Alcaraz in the quarter-finals of the Australian Open last January, Djokovic was forced to withdraw from the semi-finals due to a thigh injury. His struggles continued as he suffered an early exit in his opening match at the Qatar Open in February.
Once again, Djokovic’s campaign in Indian Wells ended in disappointment, as he was eliminated in his first match after receiving a first-round bye, like all top-32 seeded players in both the men’s and women’s draws. He had also been eliminated in the third round last year.
Djokovic’s struggles were evident from the first set, where he committed numerous unforced errors—14 in that set alone, and 37 in total—leading to a quick loss. Though he managed to bounce back in the second set to level the match, he faltered in the decider despite a competitive start.
The Serbian star was visibly frustrated, and he may have provided an answer to the big question during his post-match press conference, stating: “There are no excuses for my poor performance. I had a bad day.”
He added: “I regret playing like this, especially considering the quality of my recent training sessions. The difference in court conditions between the outer courts and the main stadium is significant, as the ball bounces much higher, and I struggled to adapt.”
Despite encouragement from his coach, former British star Andy Murray, Djokovic spent much of the match venting his frustration—whether at the shots played by his opponent, the shot clock during his serves, or even a spectator in the front row whose voice distracted him during key moments.
The surprises in Indian Wells continued, as Djokovic joined a long list of early exits that included world No. 2 Alexander Zverev and world No. 5 Casper Ruud, both of whom were eliminated last Friday. Meanwhile, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner missed the tournament altogether due to a three-month suspension for a doping violation.
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