Novak Djokovic suffered one of the most unexpected losses of his career against world number 123 Luca Nardi in Indian Wells, in a match that included a long argument with the referee.
20-year-old Italian Nardi was not favored to win many matches against the world number 1, let alone knock him out by 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.
But Djokovic was well behind his best on the metronome, making numerous unforced errors and struggling to focus. Nardi represents the lowest-ranked player to beat him at a grand slam or Masters 1000 event.
Djokovic’s frustration came out early in the second set during an argument with referee Greg Allensworth. His complaint was that Nardi stopped for a second after mistakenly thinking Djokovic’s serve had escaped into the penalty area.
“He actually stopped and that completely confused me,” said Djokovic, who made a seemingly ordinary shot when a stopped Nardi patted the ball back and then did not run for the next ball, thus Nardi winning the match. point.
“So I stopped,” Djokovic added. “How can you not come to such a decision? Do you blame me or not?”
Allensworth responded: “Just because he stood there and didn’t keep playing doesn’t mean it’s an impediment.”
Blocking is a rule normally used when a player distracts an opponent in the middle of a rally by shouting while they are about to kick the ball.
Replays suggested Djokovic was still grumbling about the flashpoint as the players shook hands at the net, saying: “It wasn’t right but you did a good job.”
Later in the interview room, Djokovic said: “There is no championship this year. This isn’t something I’m used to. For most of my career, I would start the season with a grand slam win or a win in Dubai. This is good. It’s part of the sport. You just have to accept it. You win some, you lose some.
“Hopefully I can win some more and keep going. “I think every trophy that comes my way in the end will be great, it will break the negative cycle I’ve been in for the last three or four tournaments, where I’m nowhere near my best.”
When asked in more detail about his performance, Djokovic replied: “I made really terrible, unforced mistakes. He entered the main draw as a lucky loser, so he had nothing to lose. He played great. He deserved to win. I was even more surprised at my level. My level is really high.” It was bad.”
Nardi, who described Djokovic as his childhood idol, described the victory as a miracle. “I don’t know [how I held my nerve]said. “I think it’s a miracle, because I’m a 20-year-old guy, ranked 100th in the world, and I’m beating Novak. It’s crazy.
Nardi, who will face American Tommy Paul in the fourth round, said, “I couldn’t even imagine playing with him, now I beat him too.”
“This is such a dream come true for me. After the game, my coaches told me, Luca, everyone was cheering for you. Unbelievable. Best player ever against Djokovic. “I will cherish this moment for the rest of my life.”
Djokovic is doing his best as a cornered monster but his motivation is waning
When I awoke Tuesday morning to Novak Djokovic’s shock defeat at Indian Wells, I found myself looking at my notes from the US Open in September, his last major championship.
And there was the proof I was looking for. In Djokovic’s press conference transcript, he was asked seven questions on a variety of topics: everything from his leading opponents to his mastery of the serve and volley. He used the word “motivation” in five of his responses, all of which were characteristically long.
Now Djokovic has many superpowers. Its flexibility. His sense of tactics. His backhand! But perhaps most importantly of all is his surprising, unquenchable desire.
But wait. Did we have a problem here? Could Djokovic’s loss to world number 123 Luca Nardi be an indication that his motivation has finally run out?
You have to remember that Djokovic is nothing like Roger Federer; He’s a man who loves tennis for its own sake, so much so that he recently posted a video of himself hitting the wall.
No, Djokovic needs something to go against. It could be an unexpected defeat, like last year’s epic Wimbledon final against Carlos Alcaraz. Or it could be the feeling of disrespect that has been a constant in his career ever since he became the gooseberry of the great Federer-Nadal romance.
Djokovic had a very special reason to be excited in Melbourne and New York last year. He was banned from both tournaments last season due to vaccination. In fact, his deportation from Australia in 2022 represented a public humiliation. He vowed that when he returned to the tour in Dubai a month later, he would “channel all that energy into fuel, both mentally and physically.”
So what’s left for Djokovic to work on? He is already the most successful player in history, with mind-blowing statistics that will never be equaled. His underdog status is far behind him. As he got older, he began to be applauded even by fans who despised him.
In my opinion, there’s only one thing left to do to get him out of bed in the morning and onto the training field. This is the feeling of competition, the feeling of an opponent worthy of outwitting. He clearly fed on Alcaraz last season, telling CBS in December that the Wimbledon final “destroyed me so much that I should have won the whole thing on American soil.” While the remarkable comeback in the Cincinnati final – their next meeting in just over a month – gave Djokovic the impetus to do just that, it also undermined Alcaraz’s momentum so much that he has failed to reach the final since.
But right now there’s the new fastest gun in town. 22-year-old Italian Jannik Sinner has lost just one of his last 22 matches against Djokovic at the ATP Finals in Turin. When they met again at the Australian Open in January, Djokovic threw two of the worst sets he had ever played in that tournament (usually his early-season banker) and went down without much of a fight.
My suspicion is that Djokovic will enjoy dueling Sinner less than Alcaraz. That’s why playing The Sinner is like looking into a magic mirror that turns your age back 15 years. While Alcaraz’s tricks and antics create a welcome clash of styles, Sinner has a relentless approach akin to Djokovic 2.0: physically fast, powerful with every shot, ruthlessly focused.
Undoubtedly, these are the first days of 2024. A change of surface or a Sinner injury can shake things up in an instant. Djokovic is not the type of player you can write off immediately. Only as he approaches his 37th birthday does the world No. 1’s body seem less tired than his mind.