
The tennis titan, Novak Djokovic, expressed his disappointment with the conditions of the Indian Wells court surfaces, following his unexpected exit from the tournament. He joins fellow players Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz in criticizing the newly relaid courts. Djokovic was defeated in a three-set match by Botic van de Zandschulp, the world no. 85, with a score of 2-6, 6-3, 1-6, a performance that fell short of his usual prowess.
The tournament officials’ decision to refurbish the court surfaces ahead of the event in California was not well received by the 37-year-old Serbian stalwart. He attributed his lackluster performance to the unusually high bounce of the ball on the relaid courts.
Reflecting on his performance, Djokovic said, “I regret the level of tennis I played, given how well I’ve been practicing. The difference between the center court and the other courts is significant. The ball bounces higher on the center courts than on some of the highest clay courts. I struggled with this, unable to find my rhythm.”
Djokovic’s performance was marred by 37 unforced errors and a mere 16 winners, marking a disappointing outing. This match marked his third consecutive loss of the 2025 season, a pattern he had only experienced in 2008 and 2018. He withdrew from the Australian Open match against Zverev due to injury and lost to Matteo Berrettini at the Qatar Open in Doha.
Djokovic candidly admitted he is finding it challenging to play at his desired level. “Over the past few years, things have been different for me. I’ve been struggling to play at the level I aspire to. Occasionally, I have a couple of good tournaments, but overall, it’s a challenging journey for me. There’s no preparation for such moments; you have to experience it and handle it in the best possible way.”
The world No. 5 further analyzed his recent match, stating, “The first three or four games of the third set were quite close. I had my chances. But some awful mistakes cost me. He played some really good points to break my serve. However, I should not have put myself in that position.”
Still on the chase for his 25th Grand Slam, Djokovic aims to make history as the most successful tennis player, male or female. Yet, he has not added to his tally of 99 ATP titles since the end of the 2023 season when he won against Jannik Sinner at the ATP Finals.
As the last active player of the ‘Big Three’ following the retirement of Roger Federer in September 2022 and Rafael Nadal’s final tournament in November 2024, Djokovic may be nearing the point where age starts to impact his performances. Still, he has the chance to silence his critics at the upcoming Miami Open, where he is a six-time winner. Djokovic’s last five titles at this tournament were achieved during his dominant phase from 2011 to 2016. Although he hasn’t reached the final in Florida since then, and despite his absence from the event since 2019 due to scheduling conflicts and visa issues, the upcoming tournament presents another chance for the Serbian star to reclaim his form.