Indian Wells, March 12 The 24-time Grand Slam champion, Novak Djokovic, has described his fourth-round exit at the 2026 Indian Wells Masters as 'a tough night in the desert. The Serbian's campaign ended after he suffered a shock defeat against Britain's Jack Draper on Thursday.
Draper came through a gripping match lasting more than two-and-a-half hours in a deciding tiebreak to win 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (5) as he beat Djokovic for the first time in his career.
After the loss, Djokovic congratulated Jack Draper on a great win. He also thanked the fans who supported him during the whole campaign. "A tough night in the desert. Respect to @jackdraper0 You deserve it. Great to see you back on court, fighting fit. Keep it going," Djokovic wrote in a post on X.
"And to everyone who supported me here this week, thank you for the energy. No place like tennis paradise. See you soon," he added.
Djokovic had earlier praised Draper for his great comeback from injury in the post-match conference.
“I don't think there is any major difference in his level from what he has shown pre-injury. He's been playing at a great level. I have watched him a little bit, had some highlights in Dubai, where he has played a few matches," The Serbian said after the match.
“And here, obviously defending champion, he really likes the conditions, suiting his game, and you could see that. I mean, he's playing really well. He is confident, and he was always confident and physically very fit. Just overall a great player, great guy. I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament,” he added.
Draper, now riding a nine-match winning streak in the California desert, will face two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinal. Meanwhile, after crashing out of the Indian Wells, Djokovic is likely to take part in the Miami Open, which will be held in late March.
--IANS
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