Novak Djokovic defeated Aleksandar Kovacevic, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4, to set up a fourth-round clash with Jack Draper at Indian Wells.
The Serb required a deciding set to beat his second-round opponent, Kamil Majchrzak, too.
Novak Djokovic or Tiger Woods… who is the better sportsman? 🤔
Ahead of his second career meeting with Draper, Djokovic admitted he’s been struggling with an arm issue at Indian Wells.
Novak Djokovic says his forearm issue flares up when he’s not serving
During his latest post-match press conference, Djokovic was asked about the arm sleeve he’s been wearing at Indian Wells.
“It does help. It helps the blood flow and the circulation,” said Djokovic.
“I have been struggling the last couple of weeks with that forearm and trying to go through it.”
Djokovic explained how the problem worsens when he’s not serving.
“It’s a bit odd, the more I serve, the better I feel, but then it comes on and off if I get cold and don’t serve for five or six minutes, then I feel like the first couple of serves in that game are a bit painful,” he said.
“I am kind of working through it.
“It’s not something that I have not faced before.
“It’s the ins and outs of being a tennis player at this level.
“But overall, the body is feeling okay, and hopefully it’s going to get better every day.”
Who would win this legendary showdown?
At 38, it’s no surprise that Djokovic is dealing with a few physical issues.
The good news for fans of the Serb is that he’s hard at work, looking for solutions.
He may need to find a few more solutions when he returns to the court for his fourth-round match.
Draper, his opponent, has looked impressive at Indian Wells so far.
Returning as the defending champion, the Briton battled through a tough opener against Roberto Bautista Agut, before defeating the 19th seed, Francisco Cerundolo, in round three.
Jack Draper at Indian Wells in 2026
- 2026 Indian Wells 2R [WIN] vs Roberto Bautista Agut, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2
- 2026 Indian Wells 3R [WIN] vs Francisco Cerundolo, 6-1, 7-5
Djokovic will be wary of the danger Draper poses, but what happened when they last met on the ATP Tour?
They’ve only played once, at Wimbledon, five years ago.
The then-teenager, Draper, took the first set 6-4, threatening to cause an all-time upset on Centre Court.
Djokovic soon fired up, though, winning the next three sets comfortably to book his place in the second round.
Whether he can repeat the feat when they play again remains to be seen…
Novak Djokovic is one win away from his best Indian Wells tournament since 2016
After winning three Indian Wells titles in a row between 2014 and 2016, Djokovic has struggled to find any form in California.
The Serb hasn’t returned to the quarterfinals of Indian Wells since winning his last title.
Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells (Post-2016)
- 2017 Indian Wells – Lost in 4R to Nick Kyrgios
- 2018 Indian Wells – Lost in 2R to Taro Daniel
- 2019 Indian Wells – Lost in 3R to Philipp Kohlschreiber
- 2024 Indian Wells – Lost in 3R to Luca Nardi
- 2025 Indian Wells – Lost in 2R to Botic van de Zandschulp
- 2026 Indian Wells – 4R vs Jack Draper
Djokovic has lost to several lower-ranked players, including (#109) Taro Daniel and (#123) Luca Nardi.
And last year, he suffered another shock defeat in his opening match, to world number 85 Botic van de Zandschulp.
If he can beat Draper and return to the quarterfinals, he’d secure his best result at Indian Wells in a decade.
But he won’t want to stop there, as Djokovic will no doubt have his sights set on winning the title.
Djokovic hasn’t won a Masters 1000 title in three years and would surely love to become the first champion of 2026.
There’s a lot on the line for Djokovic at Indian Wells, and you certainly won’t want to miss any of the action.
Djokovic will play Draper for a spot in the quarterfinals on Wednesday, March 11.
