Novak Djokovic ticked off another landmark in his second-round win over Aleksandar Vukic to begin his 2024 Indian Wells campaign with a bang.
The World No. 1 is playing in California for the first time since 2019 and has already spoken fondly about the Indian Wells tournament in his first message upon arriving. He is a five-time champion in the desert, a joint record he holds with Roger Federer.
Djokovic was tested in his first match, which was not a done deal as many had expected. Vukic, who is currently 21 spots from his previous best ranking of No. 48, matched Djokovic from the baseline. The Serb revealed after the match that he was "worried" after dropping the second set.
Thankfully for Djokovic, he avoided any drama in the third and managed to see out the match. The victory was his 400th at the Masters 1000 level, becoming just the second player to achieve this remarkable milestone after his longtime rival Rafael Nadal (406).
Nadal is unable to add to his tally this week after withdrawing before his first-round match. Djokovic, for his part, can inch closer to the Spaniard's record of 406 match wins in Indian Wells and potentially surpass him in Miami, where Nadal will not play.
Although Nadal has won the most matches at Masters 1000 level, Djokovic has won the most titles of any man with 40. Last season, he scooped two titles in that tournament category: Cincinnati and Paris-Bercy.
Despite his disappointing start to the season by his high standards, Djokovic remains the heavy favorite to win in Indian Wells, given his record at the event.
But the presence of in-form Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev, and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz will make his path a little bit rocky. Djokovic's sights are set on picking up his 401st win when he plays Italian lucky loser Luca Nardi in the third round.
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