\n
\n\tINDIAN WELLS, California: Five-time champion Novak Djokovic tumbled out of the Indian Wells ATP Masters on Saturday, falling in his first match to lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp as two-time defending champ Carlos Alcaraz advanced.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cNo excuses for a poor performance,\u201d 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic said after 37 unforced errors in a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 defeat.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel great when you play this way on the court,\u201d he added. \u201cBut congratulations to my opponent \u2014 just a bad day in the office, I guess, for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tDjokovic is just the latest in van de Zandschulp\u2019s string of superstar victims.<\/p>\n
\n\tHe stunned Alcaraz at the US Open last year before beating Rafael Nadal in Davis Cup in what proved the Spanish great\u2019s last match.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI think I kept my cool during the whole match,\u201d said van de Zandschulp. \u201cI know if I go into the match and lose my cool, especially against the big players, it\u2019s going to be a really tough day. That\u2019s always one thing I\u2019m trying to do well.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tAfter 14 unforced errors in the first set, Djokovic cleaned things up in the second, grabbing a quick break on the way to a 3-0 lead.<\/p>\n
\n\tDjokovic pumped his fist after belting a forehand winner to the corner for his first break chance of the match and after consolidating the break nodded his head in satisfaction.<\/p>\n
\n\tThe rallies remained tense affairs and Djokovic\u2019s frustration was clear at times, but after he was broken when serving for the set he closed it out on his next service game.<\/p>\n
\n\tIt was only a brief respite. Van de Zandschulp kept the pressure on both from the baseline and at the net and Djokovic\u2019s errors began to pile up again.<\/p>\n
\n\tVan de Zandschulp took control with a break for 3-1, reeling off the last five games as Djokovic was unable to stop the bleeding.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cThe first three games, four games of the third set were quite close,\u201d Djokovic, seeded sixth, said. \u201cHad my chances. Was just some awful mistakes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tItalian Matteo Arnaldi sprung another upset, beating seventh seed Andrey Rublev 6-4, 7-5. Djokovic and Rublev followed top seed Alexander Zverev and fourth seed Casper Ruud as second-round casualties.<\/p>\n
\n\tWith Zverev out and world No. 1Jannik Sinner serving a three-month drugs ban, world number three Alcaraz is the highest seed left in the men\u2019s draw.<\/p>\n
\n\tAlcaraz, trying to join Djokovic and Roger Federer as the only men to win three straight Indian Wells titles, eased into his defense with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over France\u2019s Quentin Halys.<\/p>\n
\n\tHe admitted he was feeling some nerves to start the match, but they evaporated amid a strong all-around performance.<\/p>\n
\n\tOne early break staked Alcaraz to the first set. He roared to a 4-0 lead in the second behind a formidable service display and wrapped up the win in 67 minutes.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI was nervous at the beginning of the match,\u201d he told a supportive crowd. \u201cThe first match is never easy so I was trying to be focused on my game.<\/p>\n
\n\t\u201cI just tried to be relaxed, as relaxed as I can. Can always be better, but I\u2019m ready for the (next) round and excited.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\tWomen\u2019s world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka opened her campaign with a 7-6 (7\/4, 6-3 victory over rising US talent McCartney Kessler.<\/p>\n
\n\tMadison Keys, who denied Sabalenka a third straight Australian Open title as she claimed her long awaited first Grand Slam in Melbourne, subdued hard-hitting Russian Anastasia Potapova 6-3, 6-0 in her first match since then.<\/p>\n
\n\tAmericans Taylor Fritz and Coco Gauff \u2014 seeded third in their respective draws, both advanced.<\/p>\n
\n\tFritz, the 2022 men\u2019s champion, defeated Italian qualifier Matteo Gigante 7-5, 6-3.<\/p>\n
\n\tGauff survived 21 double faults to claw out a 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (7\/4) victory over Japan\u2019s Moyuka Uchijima.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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INDIAN WELLS, California: Five-time champion Novak Djokovic tumbled out of the Indian Wells ATP Masters…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54189,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[5576,5571,5574,1197,5573,1512,5570,5577,5575,5572,719],"class_list":["post-54186","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sport","tag-alex","tag-ankalaev","tag-belt","tag-decision","tag-heavyweight","tag-light","tag-magomed","tag-pereira","tag-unanimous","tag-undisputed","tag-wins"],"yoast_head":"\n
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