Novak Djokovic had a tough time winning at the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters after not playing in the event for five years. He beat Aleksandar Vukic 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 on Saturday.
The world's number one Djokovic, who had been absent since losing in the Australian Open semifinal to Jannik Sinner in January, is aiming for his sixth title at the venue in the season’s first Masters event.
The 36-year-old Serb achieved his 400th Masters-level victory, becoming one of the only two male players, along with Rafael Nadal, to reach this milestone at the elite level.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has won his last 11 Masters matches and secured titles last season in Cincinnati and Paris Bercy.
Djokovic wasn’t the only top player to face a challenge.
Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka saved four match points in her 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) second-round victory over 64th-ranked Peyton Stearns, while US Open champion Coco Gauff came from behind to beat France’s Clara Burel 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Djokovic confessed to feeling nervous in his first match since Melbourne. He won the opening set in 35 minutes with two service breaks but had to fight back from a break down in the third set against his 69th-ranked Australian opponent.
Vukic held for 6-5 in the second set and hit a quick service return winner to tie the match at one set each.
In the third set, top seed Djokovic broke for a 3-2 lead and sealed the win with a second break after just over two hours, marking his 51st win at the tournament where he first competed in 2006.
“I was a bit nervous at the beginning, you know, whether I’m going to start off well,” Djokovic said. “I had not played a match in more than five weeks.
“He made me produce some really important points in games in order to prevail. “I’m glad that I was pushed, which is important.”
Women’s world number two Sabalenka had an even tougher time against Stearns. After saving four match points she needed four of her own and rolled an ankle along the way.
“This match definitely goes into the book of craziest and the best matches of my career,” she said.
“She played incredible tennis. I kept telling myself, ‘Stay there, fight for every point. You never know what’s going to happen.
“This is the match for crazy comebacks – and I did it,” added Sabalenka, who next faces Emma Raducanu who advanced when Dayana Yastremska retired while trailing 4-0 because of illness.
Third-seeded Gauff, who turns 20 next Wednesday, trailed her 47th-ranked French opponent 4-0 and 5-2 in the deciding third set, but was able to power back and push it to a tie-breaker.
She paved the way by breaking Burel to love as the Frenchwoman served for victory leading 5-4.
In the tie-breaker, Gauff advanced on her third match point as Burel swung wide.
“I’m happy with the mental fight,” Gauff said. “It was not my best tennis… but it’s how you show up on your worst days, not your best ones, that counts.”
In other women’s action, former number one Naomi Osaka continued her comeback after a maternity break with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Liudmila Samsonova.
Osaka said that she felt more self-assured during the game and was willing to take the chance to make her shots, regardless of the outcome.
Anna Blinkova defeated fifth-ranked Jessica Pegula 6-2, 3-6, 6-3, seeking payback for her earlier loss to the American in San Diego at the beginning of the month.
Fourth-seed Daniil Medvedev, the previous year's runner-up with six Masters titles, easily won his first match against Spain's Roberto Carballes Baena with scores of 6-2, 6-3.
A flashing light at the top of the stadium disrupted the match in the later part of the second set, but it did not deter Medvedev from his path to victory.
Seventh seed Holger Rune advanced to the third round without playing when former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic of Canada withdrew from their match due to an injury.
Taylor Fritz, the 12th seed from the US and the 2022 champion, defeated Alejandro Tabilo of Chile 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 in 73 minutes, delivering 14 aces among his 27 winners.
AFP
