“I’ve done, I think, the right things in preparation. I’ve been playing some good tennis these days,” Novak Djokovic remarked upon his arrival at the Indian Wells, looking to reset after a disappointing early exit at the Qatar Open. However, in a shocking turn of events, the 24-time GS champion was sent packing by the Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp, who finished the R64 match by handing the Serb a breadstick in the third set. As the tennis world processed the stunning upset, some eye-opening stats surfaced: ones that might not sit well with Djokovic’s otherwise stellar resume. But what exactly are these surprising numbers?
Djokovic’s quest for Indian Wells glory took an unexpected turn as an avalanche of unforced errors- 37 in total- proved too much to overcome. After a shaky first set where he made 14 unforced errors, the Serb seemed to steady the ship in the second, quickly racing to a 3-0 lead against Van de Zandschulp. A roaring fist pump followed a blistering forehand winner at Novak’s first break chance of the match.
With momentum in his corner, the 37-year-old looked poised to level the match. But Zandschulp had other plans. Refusing to go down without a fight, the Dutchman kept the rallies intense, forcing Djokovic into a marathon sixth game that stretched to deuce 5 times. Just when the Serb thought he had the set in his pocket, a crucial forehand miss gifted Zandschulp a lifeline, which he grabbed with both hands. Djokovic, however, wrapped the set 6-3.
But the third set was all about the Dutchman’s fearless tennis. He seized control with an early break for 3-1, stunning the 24-time GS champion with a diving winner before the Serb fluffed an easy volley. Sensing an opportunity, Zandschulp unleashed relentless pressure, mixing sharp baseline strikes with intense net play. A perfectly executed lob caught Novak stranded at mid-court, leaving the Serbian scrambling for answers. The unraveling was eventually complete when Van de Zandschulp surged through the final five games, sealing one of the biggest upsets of his career in Tennis Paradise. And, right after the calamity, some stats appeared, which Novak would like to forget as early as possible.
After the match, an X page named Tennis TV shared a post, stating, “2024: Lucky loser Luca Nardi defeats Djokovic at Indian Wells. 2025: Lucky Loser Botic van de Zandschulp defeats Djokovic at Indian Wells. Lightning strikes twice at #TennisParadise!”
2024: Lucky loser Luca Nardi defeats Djokovic at Indian Wells
2025: Lucky Loser Botic van de Zandschulp defeats Djokovic at Indian Wells
Lightning strikes twice at #TennisParadise! pic.twitter.com/La4BurEm9J
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 9, 2025
Subsequent to his surprising win, Van de Zandschulp himself added the inscription ‘Lucky Loser’ to the camera jocularly. Nole, the record-holder for most ATP Masters 1000 titles (40), finals (59), and semi-finals (78), was aiming to tie his Spaniard counterpart Rafael Nadal for most wins (410). However, the former 5-time champion of the BNP Paribas Open couldn’t prevail, allowing van de Zandschulp to level their H2H record 1-1.
That’s not it, though! Djokovic’s last two defeats in the first round of Indian Wells have both come against a player outside the top 50 – against Taro Daniel in 2018 and Botic Van de Zandschulp in 2025. After the match, the Serb himself reflected on this shocking loss.
“It’s a struggle for me,” Novak Djokovic after his loss at the Indian Wells
The current World number 7 arrived in Indian Wells with his sights set on a milestone: his 100th career singles title. But fate had other plans for the Serb! After retiring mid-way through his AO semi-final against Alexander Zverev and a shaky Doha opener loss to Italian Matteo Berrettini, Djokovic’s struggles continued as Van de Zandschulp secured his 8th career win over a top 10 opponent.
Not only did the Dutchman stun the former world number one, but he also notched back-to-back ATP Tour victories for the first time in 2025. More shockingly, this marked Djokovic’s third consecutive loss, something that hadn’t happened since early 2018 with the Serbian.
Once a fortress for the 5-time Indian Wells champion (2008, 2011, 2014-16), the desert hasn’t been kind to Nole lately. Since his return in 2024 after a 5-year absence, he’s now 4-5 in his last nine matches at Tennis Paradise.
Sharing his thoughts on the tough defeat, the 2024 Olympic gold medalist said, “You know, things are different obviously for me the last couple of years. I’ve been struggling to play on the desired level. Every now and then, I have a couple of good tournaments, but, you know, mostly it’s really a challenge. It’s a struggle for me. So it is what it is. I guess nothing can prepare you for that moment, in a sense. You have to experience it and try to deal with it in the best possible way.”
Djokovic entered the new season with hopes of ending his title drought, but regular setbacks are challenging his resilience. Can the Serb now turn things around at the Miami Open?
The post Novak Djokovic’s Indian Wells’ Nemesis Drops a Cheeky 2-Word Reaction After Stunning the Serb at the Tennis Paradise appeared first on EssentiallySports.
