Djokovic suvives scare to reach Indian Wells last 16 / Photo: CLIVE BRUNSKILL - GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
-
Climate change main driver of European ocean warming: study
-
Trump, Carney talk as Canada seeks to hold off new US tariffs
-
Gauff finds a way into the Cincinnati fourth round
-
NASA images reveal crater left by SpaceX rocket's Moon crash
-
ZZ Top drummer Frank Beard dies at age 77
-
UN atomic watchdog says found tons of nuclear material at Syria site
-
Bayern's Musiala reveals 'neurological disorder' after on-field collapse
-
Ecuadoran diplomat enters race to be next UN chief
-
Angelique Kidjo immortalised on Hollywood Walk of Fame
-
US sanctions ICC chief Tomoko Akane of Japan
-
France to expel two Iranian diplomats: foreign minister
-
US moves to open vast tracts of pristine forests to logging
-
Spain's Granada closes iconic Alhambra as new quake hits
-
US sanctions International Criminal Court chief Tomoko Akane of Japan
-
Venus, Stephens, Monfils named among US Open wild cards
-
Meta hooked children and misled public: prosecutors
-
Rodri joins La Liga champions Barcelona from Manchester City
-
France's first women's rights minister Yvette Roudy dies, aged 97
-
Disney, ABC sue US regulator over threat to broadcast licenses
-
French producer Nicolas Altmayer, Dior PR chief Favier die in car crash
-
Trump, Carney hold talks as new US tariffs on Canada loom
-
Bezos consortium bought nearly 40 percent of Liverpool: report
-
Germany opens new drone research centre as security threats mount
-
Trump says no Iran talks planned, claims Hormuz 'new US territory'
-
How only a few tree species drive Amazon forest recovery
-
Canada seeks to avert new US tariffs as deadline looms
-
Ivonne A-Baki enters race to be next UN chief
-
US primaries test Democrat comeback hopes in Trump stronghold
-
Ukraine says Russian strike kills 10 in northeast region
-
Scientists discover how narwhals grow nature's only straight tusk
-
Meta in court over child social media addiction
-
DR Congo Ebola outbreak 'far from being under control': WHO chief
-
Vieira appointed Senegal head coach after World Cup disappointment
-
Firefighters in 'decisive' push to encircle Belgian wildfire
-
F1's Albon re-signs with Williams for 2027
-
Tribal Partners with ServiceNow to Empower Enterprise Teams to Build and Deploy Apps & Agents
-
Borderless.xyz Deepens Africa Coverage as CrissCross Goes Live on Its Network
-
Fusion Markets Extends Negative Balance Protection to Clients Globally
-
Pakistan court orders ex-PM Khan moved from jail to hospital
-
India close on victory in first Test against Sri Lanka
-
'Lonely place': Black UK academics slam racism after Arday's death
-
Three lightly injured as new quake hits Spain's Granada
-
UK PM says not embarrassed by hoax messages with fake Trump aide
-
Syria, US say Israel struck military air base in Idlib province
-
West Bank siege exposes Israel army inaction on settler violence
-
France probes Russian disinfo campaign against centrist candidates
-
Four-time champion Roglic to ride Vuelta after training crash
-
Stocks mostly drop as Mideast hopes dim, interest rates rise
-
Ukrainian convicted in Germany over Russian sabotage plot
-
Bayern's Musiala returns to training after on-field collapse
Djokovic suvives scare to reach Indian Wells last 16
Novak Djokovic clawed out a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 victory over 72nd-ranked American Aleksandar Kovacevic on Monday to reach the fourth round at Indian Wells for the first time since 2017.
Djokovic, playing his first tournament since falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final, had all he could handle from the 27-year-old New Yorker, who peppered the Serb superstar with 16 aces.
"I knew coming into the match that if he serves well and if he picks his spot in the box it's going to be tough to break him," said Djokovic, who broke Kovacevic in the final game to snatch the win.
"That's what happened actually. He was serving extremely well (except) maybe one game in the first and maybe the last game of the third set -- he got a little bit tight, missed a few first serves.
"He got me into a position where I can win it and I seized it."
With five Indian Wells titles Djokovic is tied for the record with Swiss great Roger Federer.
But the Serbian superstar hasn't made it to the quarter-finals in the California desert since his last title run in 2016 and now he's had to come through a pair of three-setters to return to the last 16.
Djokovic took control with an early break in the opening set and made it hold up.
But Kovacevic was clearly warming up. He held at love in his last two service games of the opening set and rolled through the second against a clearly frustrated Djokovic.
Djokovic regrouped in the third, and despite a tumble in the eighth game found a way to win.
"That's what counts in the end, to get the 'W,'" said Djokovic, who will face either defending champion Jack Draper or Francisco Cerundolo for a place in the quarter-finals.
Alcaraz, riding a 13-0 match winning streak as he chases a third Indian Wells title, takes on France's Arthur Rinderknech under the lights on Stadium Court.
The 22-year-old Spaniard's Australian Open triumph made him the youngest man to complete a career Grand Slam, and he followed up with a title in Doha in February.
Now Alcaraz is aiming to return to the winner's circle in Indian Wells, where his bid for a third straight title last year was derailed by Draper in the semi-finals.
E.Flores--AT