INDIAN WELLS: Britain’s Jack Draper produced a superb fightback to beat Novak Djokovic and reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals - a result he believes could be “a real big moment” in his season.
Defending champion Draper regrouped impressively to beat 24time Grand Slam champion Djokovic 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-5) in a “real physical battle” of two hours and 35 minutes. Djokovic, a five-time winner at Indian Wells, had beaten Draper in the only previous meeting between them at Wimbledon in 2021. The victory is an important one for Draper as he rebuilds after a torrid eightmonth spell plagued with an arm injury.
“To beat Novak is something that is mind-blowing,” Draper said. “I’ve watched him since I was a kid, idolising him. Unbelievable respect for the player that he is. “It’s something I will probably look back on in a few months and think this is a real big moment for me.”
World number 14 Draper is joined in the last eight by fellow Briton Cameron Norrie, who will play world number one Carlos Alcaraz next.
Djokovic, runner-up to Alcaraz at January’s Australian Open, won 87% of points on his serve as he clinched the opening set. However, Draper levelled to force a decider as the quality rose, with Djokovic winning a gruelling 26-shot rally in the opening game at 30-30 on the Serb’s serve.
The Briton broke his rival’s next service game but, serving for the match at 5-4 up, was broken back as the match went to a tie-break. Once again, Draper regrouped impressively to advance and set up a quarter-final against former world number one Daniil Medvedev. “It was a real physical battle, there were definitely a lot of ups and downs in the match,” Draper, 24, said. “To come through that match is something I will never forget.”
Djokovic, playing his first tournament since reaching the final of the Australian Open in January, believes he paid the price for the 26-shot rally.