Novak Djokovic has found his master in Luca Nardi.Image: www.imago-images.de
As a lucky loser, Luca Nardi caused a sensation at the tournament in Indian Wells with his victory against the world number 1. Novak Djokovic is still looking for his best form after an almost historically bad start to the season.
After an initial win against Aleksander Vukic, Novak Djokovic surprisingly failed in the third round of the ATP 1000 tournament in Indian Wells against the relatively unknown Italian Luca Nardi and had to bury his title ambitions early. The fact that Djokovic is still without a title in mid-March is a rarity. Djokovic had already lost out to an Italian at the Australian Open at the beginning of the year – although the final stop was only in the semi-finals. In Melbourne it was the young South Tyrolean Jannik Sinner who brought the long-time dominator of tennis to his knees.
“I see Novak every night before I go to sleep.”
Luca Nardi
Nardi, Djokovic’s opponent in yesterday’s game in Indian Wells, achieved a small sensation with his victory (6:4, 3:6, 6:3). The world number 123 had actually already failed in the qualification against the Belgian David Goffin, but still made it into the main table as a lucky loser. At the media conference after the game, the 20-year-old Nardi was surprised by his triumph over his idol, which hangs in poster form on his bedroom door: “I see Novak every night before I go to sleep,” he joked.
Novak Djokovic acknowledged the performance of his unknown conqueror, but placed the origin of the defeat more in his own “very, very bad performance” than in the strength of his opponent: “He had a good day, I had a very bad day,” he said 24-time Grand Slam winner told the media.
Nardi throws Djokovic off balance
But Nardi’s victory is no coincidence. The Italian managed to keep Djokovic off balance again and again, including when the score was 4:6, 2:0 from the Serb’s point of view. For a moment it seemed as if Nardi would interrupt the rally with a return before he finally hit the ball into the opponent’s half – the point ultimately went to the Italian, who secured a re-break.
Djokovic’s call for the point to be repeated was not heard by the referee, even after a minute-long discussion. The Serb was able to win the set with the controversial scene, but he finally had to admit defeat in the third set.
Djokovic’s start to the season “failed”
If you don’t count the messed up 2022 season, in which Djokovic had to miss tournaments due to his vaccination status, you have to go back a full six years to find a season in which “Djoker” had not yet won a title by this point in the season could celebrate.
In 2018, the Serb failed surprisingly early at both the Australian Open and Indian Wells – having just returned from an elbow injury, he got stuck in the Round of 16 and Round 64 respectively. After a subdued first half of the season, Djokovic soon found his way back to his old strength, won at Wimbledon and the US Open and showed once again that he is always a force to be reckoned with.
In view of the eight wins that Djokovic won in 11 singles games played this year and his entry into the semi-finals of the Grand Slam tournament in Australia, it may seem exaggerated to speak of a unsuccessful start to the season. In addition, Indian Wells was only the third tournament in which the Serb competed, after the United Cup and the Australian Open. Since Djokovic is the best tennis player in history in many respects, the bar is correspondingly high.
In 2011, Djokovic won his first of four US Open titles – Nadal was only left with the consolation prize.Image: EPA
Djokovic got his best start to a season so far in 2011 – he strung together 43 wins before losing to Roger Federer in the semi-finals of the French Open at the end of May. Only two players – Guillermo Vilas and Ivan Lendl – achieved more wins in a row across all surfaces. In 2020, Djokovic was already in top form at the start of the season. Until the season was interrupted after the ATP 500 tournament in Dubai due to the Covid pandemic, he won all 18 singles games in which he competed.
Italian tennis renaissance
After Roger Federer swapped the tennis court for the red carpets of the world and Rafael Nadal repeatedly had to miss due to injuries, the last of the three great dominators of the past two decades seems to be slowly being replaced by a younger generation. The path to the GAND Slam titles will probably lead through Djokovic again this season – despite a slow start. It remains to be seen how long the 36-year-old can continue to compete at the highest level.
Last 8 players to defeat Novak Djokovic in a deciding set:
🇮🇹 NARDI
🇮🇹 Sinner
🇮🇹 Sinner
🇪🇸 Alcaraz
🇩🇰 Rune
🇬🇧 Musetti
🇩🇰 Rune
🇪🇸 AlcarazAll of them were born in 2001, 2002 or 2003. pic.twitter.com/CVERd4z7N4
— Relevant Tennis (@RelevantTennis) March 12, 2024
Meanwhile, Italy is celebrating a tennis renaissance, so to speak. With Sinner, an Italian player was able to win a Grand Slam tournament in Melbourne for the first time after a dry spell of 48 years – the last triumph was in 1976, when Adriano Panatta won the French Open.
The 36-year-old world number 1 in particular seems to be having a hard time with (young) Italians lately. In addition to Sinner and Nardi, the then 21-year-old Italian Lorenzo Musetti also celebrated a win against Novak Djokovic in Monte Carlo last May. Even Nardi’s parents could hardly believe what they were watching on television that morning: “My son hit Nole,” said his mother in disbelief.
All of Novak Djokovic’s Grand Slam titles
1 / 26
All of Novak Djokovic’s Grand Slam titles
US Open 2023: Djokovic – Medwedew 6:3, 7:6, 6:3.
quelle: keystone / justin lane
Djokovic is deported – the reaction from Federer and Nadal is wonderful
Video: watson
This might also interest you:
For FC Basel, qualifying for the final round remains a difficult goal to achieve. At the leader YB, the Basel team went down 1:5 after a desolate start for a quarter of an hour.
YB against Basel was eagerly awaited. After all, the Bernese fired their coach on Monday after three defeats in a row.
2024-03-12 17:01:22
#Djokovics #unsuccessful #start #season #long #dry #spell
