There was a time, not too long ago, when Novak Djokovic’s losses were so rare that each one seemed to send shockwaves through the tennis world.
However, the 37-year-old’s surprising 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 defeat to Botic van de Zandschulp at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on Saturday marked his third consecutive loss. This is the first time since 2018, and only the second time since 2008, that he has experienced such a losing streak.
“Things are obviously different for me the last couple of years. I’ve been struggling to play at the level I desire,” said the 24-time Grand Slam champion after his second-round loss.
“Every now and then, I have a couple of good tournaments, but mostly it’s been a challenge. It’s a struggle for me. It is what it is; nothing can prepare you for that moment. You have to experience it and try to deal with it in the best possible way.”
Since his dominant 2023 season, in which he came close to winning a calendar Grand Slam and set a new men’s record for the most Grand Slam titles, Djokovic has won just one title—at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.
Against Van de Zandschulp, who made it into the main draw at Indian Wells as a “lucky loser” from the qualifying tournament, Djokovic had an unusually error-prone performance, committing 37 unforced errors.
Van de Zandschulp took an early break in the first set when Djokovic hit an approach shot wide. The Dutch player quickly raced to a 5-1 lead, losing only two points on serve during that stretch. Another mistake from Djokovic on set point, when his approach shot went astray, handed the set to Van de Zandschulp.
While Djokovic found his rhythm in the second set, breaking Van de Zandschulp early and leveling the match, he couldn’t keep up with his Dutch opponent in the third set, ultimately losing the match.
Djokovic reflected on his performance after the match, saying, “The first three or four games of the third set were quite close. I had my chances but made some awful mistakes. I thought I was in control of most of those points early in the third.”
Van de Zandschulp also delivered some stunning shots at crucial moments, including a perfectly executed lob that left Djokovic stranded at the net, helping him secure an important break point in the third set.
The Dutchman held onto his advantage and finished the match in two hours and one minute, claiming his eighth career win over a top 10 opponent.
Meanwhile, at Indian Wells, Taylor Fritz of the USA defeated Matteo Gigante 6-3, 7-5 in his opening match, while Coco Gauff, also from the US, won her first match since the Australian Open, beating Moyuka Uchijima.