The Indian Wells Masters saw a huge shock as Novak Djokovic was surprised by World No. 85 Botic Van De Zandschulp in the opening round. The Dutchman beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to blow the bottom half of the draw entirely open.
Initially, the lucky loser who entered the principal draw, Van de Zandschulp, maximized his second opportunity. Eliminating one of the major favorites of the contest, he continued his run of great wins after already taking Nick Kyrgios in the first round. The Australian couldn’t complete the match due to an injury as he was seen leaving the court in tears.
The 29-year-old Botic Van De Zandschulp has developed a knack for producing amazing underdog stories against the world’s top players. A victory reverberating across the draw, he swept third-seeded Carlos Alcaraz out in straight sets at the US Open last year. Months later, he finished Rafael Nadal’s professional career with a straight-sets win at the Davis Cup Finals.
Before this most recent triumph against Novak Djokovic, van de Zandschulp had been erratic and dropped out of the top 70 in the standings. Still, his belief in his capacity to defeat top-ranked opponents has never faltered, and his most recent victory only increased his already growing reputation as a challenging rival for the sport’s top names.
This premature departure compounds Novak Djokovic’s latest loss in form. Having already captured the tournament five times, the Serbian was one of the favorites to advance far at Indian Wells. On the other hand, his search for a record-setting 100th ATP title will have to be put off following a remarkably poor showing. The Serb has not won an ATP title this year, as he has lost three consecutive ATP matches for the first time since 2018.
Failing to capture his rhythm, the Serbian tennis star made 37 unforced errors in the match. The former world No. 1 had a first-round bye but could not take advantage. Since winning the Olympic gold medal in Paris 2024, Djokovic has experienced medical issues, including an ailment that made him retire from the Australian Open semifinals earlier this year.
Novak Djokovic’s early withdrawal from Indian Wells reminds us that even the best players are not impervious. Meanwhile, Botic Van de Zandschulp’s rising reputation as a giant killer only increases. The Dutchman will be closely watched to see if he can take advantage of this turning point and keep generating news as the competition progresses.
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