INDIAN WELLS:
Novak Djokovic fought for a winning return to the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters five years after his last appearance, defeating Aleksandar Vukic 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 on Saturday.
World number one Djokovic, who has not played since losing an Australian Open semi-final to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in January, is chasing a sixth title on his desert home at the first Masters event of the season.
The 36-year-old Serb claimed his 400th career victory at Masters level, tying Rafael Nadal as the only man to reach the 400-mark at the elite level.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has won the last 11 Masters events, collecting titles last season in Cincinnati and Paris Bercy.
Djokovic wasn’t the only top player tested.
Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka saved four match points en route to a 6-7 (2/7), 6-2, 7-6 (8/6) second-round victory over 64th-ranked Peyton Stearns and the US Open champion. Coco Gauff rallied in the final set to beat France’s Clara Burel 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Djokovic admitted to some nerves in his first match since Melbourne. He won the opening set in 35 minutes with two service breaks, but had to come from a break down in the third against his 69th-ranked Australian opponent.
Vukic held for 6-5 in the second set and hit a reflex service return winner down the line to level the match at one set apiece.
In the third, top seed Djokovic broke from 3-2 down and sealed victory with a second break after just over two hours, marking his 51st victory at the tournament where he first competed in 2006.
“I was a little nervous at the beginning, you know, if I’m going to get off to a good start,” Djokovic said. “I hadn’t played a match in over five weeks.
“He made me get some really important points in games to win. I’m glad they pushed me, which is important.”
Women’s world number two Sabalenka had an even tougher time against Stearns. After saving four match points, she needed four of her own and broke an ankle along the way.
“This fight definitely goes down in the book of craziest and best fights of my career,” he said.
“He was playing incredible tennis. I was telling myself: ‘Stay there, fight for every point. You never know what will happen.
“This is the fight for crazy comebacks – and I did,” added Sabalenka, who faces Emma Radukanu who qualified after Dayana Yastremska withdrew while trailing 4-0 due to illness.
Third-seeded Gauff, who turns 20 next Wednesday, trailed her 47th-ranked French opponent 4-0 and 5-2 in the deciding third set, but was able to come back and take it to the tiebreak.
She opened the way by breaking Burel at love as the Frenchwoman served for a 5-4 win earlier.
In the tiebreak, Gauff went for her third match point as Burrell made a long turn.
“I’m happy with the mental fight,” Gauff said. “It wasn’t my best tennis… but what counts is how you perform on your worst days, not your best.”
In other women, former number one Naomi Osaka continued her comeback from a maternity break with a 7-5, 6-3 win over Liudmila Samsonova.
“I was more confident today with set point and trusting myself and knowing that no matter what happens, we’re going for my shots,” Osaka said.
Fifth seed Jessica Pegula was knocked out 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 by Anna Blinkova, who avenged a loss to the American earlier this month in San Diego.
Men’s fourth seed Daniil Medvedev, last year’s runner-up and holder of six Masters titles, breezed through the first game against Spain’s Roberto Carballes Baena 6-2, 6-3.
A flashing light high up on the court interrupted the match late in the second set, but it wasn’t enough to knock Medvedev off his winning streak.
Seventh seed Holger Rune earned a free run into the third round when former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic of Canada pulled out of their match with injury.
US 12th seed Taylor Fritz, the 2022 champion, beat Alejandro Tabillo of Chile 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 in 73 minutes, hitting 14 aces among his 27 winners.
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