Indian Wells
Draper downs Djokovic in gruelling Indian Wells thriller
Defending champ and five-time titlist produce one of the best rallies you will see
March 12, 2026
Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper enjoy a warm moment at the net after their three-set showdown Wednesday evening at Indian Wells.
By Grant Thompson
Jack Draper earned one of the best wins of his career Wednesday at the BNP Paribas Open in dramatic fashion. The Briton overcame five-time champion Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(5) to continue his title defence at the ATP Masters 1000 event, where Draper is into the quarter-finals.
Competing in just his second ATP Tour event since the US Open last August, the lefty failed to serve out the match at 5-4 in the decider, adding drama to an already intriguing battle, in which both players pushed each other to the physical limit.
“I came out here tonight and I won that match through determination and trying to problem solve and do my best and have a great attitude,” Draper said in his on-court interview.
“I’m proud of the way I regrouped. I haven’t been playing on the Tour [in] a long time, so to put away guys who are top players, it’s something that comes with confidence. It was a tough moment for me, but again, something I’m getting used to since coming back and I regrouped really well. That’s something I can be really proud of.”
Draper and Djokovic traded heavy hitting from the baseline, with the highlight coming in the opening game of the decider at 30-all when Djokovic won a breathtaking 26-shot rally — an exchange that will undoubtedly rank among the best of the season. That rally, which earned a standing ovation from the crowd, set the tone for the rest of the match. Draper and Djokovic engaged in gruelling rallies that only grew longer as the night wore on.
The Serbian visibly struggled at times to recover his breath after several extended rallies. Meanwhile, Draper improved his level, striking the ball with increasing authority and refusing to yield in the heat of battle. Djokovic earned a 0/40 lead when Draper served for the match at 5-4 in the decider, eventually earning a break, but the 24-year-old quickly rebounded and held his nerve in the deciding-set tie-break.
“For me to be on court again these last few weeks has been emotional for me and I’m really grateful for it,” Draper said. “To come out here against Novak, for me the greatest tennis player there is, and someone I’ve been admiring and watching since I was a little kid. To do that, I’m just incredibly proud of myself.”
With his win, Draper improved to 1-1 in his Lexus ATP Head2Head series with 101-time tour-level titlist Djokovic. Wednesday’s clash marked their first encounter since Wimbledon in 2021, when Draper was outside the Top 200 of the PIF ATP Rankings.
Last season, Draper enjoyed a career-best year during which he reached a career-high No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings. However, the three-time tour-level titlist shut down his season prematurely in September due to an arm injury. Draper returned to competition last month in a Davis Cup tie against Norway before playing the ATP 500 event in Dubai.
Now with the pressure of defending his biggest career title, the 14th seed is passing the test with flying colours. Up next for Draper is two-time finalist Daniil Medvedev, who beat American Alex Michelsen 6-2, 6-4. Medvedev beat Draper in their lone meeting two years ago in Rome.
Djokovic was aiming to join rivals Roger Federer (13) and Rafael Nadal (12) as the only men to reach 10 Indian Wells quarter-finals in tournament history. The 38-year-old departs California with a 7-2 season record, according to the Infosys ATP Win/Loss Index. Djokovic reached the Australian Open final, only falling to World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz.
