2024 BNP Paribas Open: Indian Wells Underway, Novak Djokovic Upset

The American hardcourt swing is in full force as players from the ATP and WTA head to California for the start of the Sunshine Double, which starts with the 2024 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells before the tour shifts to Miami. This has been dubbed the Fifth Grand Slam of the tennis calendar. Many of the big names from the ATP and WTA are in Palm Springs, California.

Carlos Alcaraz is the defending champion at the 2024 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. However, one of the best players in the world is returning to this tournament. Novak Djokovic is back at Indian Wells for the first time since before COVID. That was 2019. He has won the title here five times as well. But that opponent is not there anymore.

The five-time champion in the desert is out in the 3rd round of the BNP Paribas Open, losing in three sets to Luca Nardi. Nardi is a lucky loser as he lost to David Goffin in the final round of qualifying. But once Argentina’s Tomas Martin Etcheverr had to withdraw, Nardi was awarded a place in the tournament. It was a remarkable effort by a 20-year-old Nardi defeating Novak Djokovic 64 36 63.

The World No.123-ranked Italian has become the lowest-ranked player in history to earn a win over Djokovic at a Masters 1000 or Grand Slam event. Djokovic, 24-0 against players ranked outside of the Top 100 since losing to World No. 109 Taro Daniel at Indian Wells in 2018, falls to 51-10 lifetime at Indian Wells. He has not won the title at Indian Wells since 2016.

Djokovic did not look great in this match. Djokovic can’t find his game in some of these events and is vulnerable to upsets, especially in the early rounds. With Djokovic out of the tournament, the men’s side is wide open.

The tournament was already missing Rafael Nadal. This was supposed to be his farewell tour on the American hardcourts, but unfortunately, he had to withdraw from the game and prepare for the clay court season and the French Open.

While those two legends are out of the men’s draw, Carlos Alcaraz is the favourite behind the Australian Open Champion Jannik Sinner, Daniil Medvedev and Alexander Zverev.

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First-round action began on Wednesday, March 6th, for both the women and men. The 2024 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells runs from March 6 – March 17.

On the women’s side of things, the usual suspects are in the mix with the two-time defending Australian Open Champion Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, and Elena Rybakina, the defending champion on the women’s side. However, she pulled out with an injury. Naomi Osaka was back in the fold in this tournament as well.

Caroline Wozniacki and Angelique Kerber meet in round 16 at the Tennis Gardens. What a match that will be. The mom’s are dominating in Indian Wells this tournament. The winner could face Swiatek in the next round. Like the men’s field, the top seeds should rise, but anything can happen between the lines.

Some players were absent from the women’s draw, including Barbora Krejcikova (back), Karolina Muchova (wrist), Petra Kvitova (pregnancy), Belinda Bencic (pregnancy), Bianca Andreescu (back), Garbine Muguruza (personal), and Jennifer Brady (knee). On the bright side, Madison Keys—who missed the Australian Open due to a shoulder injury—is set to make her season debut.