Tennis

Novak Djokovic lost in the second round of the Indian Wells Open to Botic van de Zandschulp in three sets, 6-2, 5-7, 6-1, on Saturday.

The 37-year-old Djokovic is a five-time Indian Wells champion, with his last title coming in 2016.

The Serbian star endured a disastrous first set on Saturday before battling back in the second. However, he struggled to find his serve in the third, ultimately falling to van de Zandschulp in his opening match of the BNP Paribas Open.

This is not the first time Djokovic has fallen to a lucky loser, as he also lost to world No. 123 Italy's Luca Nardi in the third round of last year's Indian Wells.

With the loss, Djokovic fell short of his 410th ATP Masters 1000 win, a feat that would have tied him with Rafael Nadal for the most in history, per Desert Sun's Andrew John.

Concluding his second-round exit, Djokovic is in the midst of three straight losses, something he hasn't faced since the beginning of 2018.

There were concerns about Djokovic's health earlier in the week after a video of him struggling to walk through an airport was released following his straight-sets quarterfinal doubles loss at the Qatar Open last month. Speculation arose that it was related to the hamstring injury that forced him to retire from his January Australian Open semifinal match.

The Grand Slam champion brushed off concerns after seeing the video, labeling it "awkward."

"It was really, yeah, awkward to see that video, because I arrived to the airport and I hit myself really badly as I was walking out, because it was very early, I think, 4 or 5 a.m. I was just limping because I hit myself badly in the ankle," Djokovic said, per ESPN's D'Arcy Maine. "That's all. It was just a hit. It was nothing else. But then people connected it to the injury and thought it was something escalating and coming back. ... But anyway, I'm feeling good. I really look forward coming to Indian Wells and Miami this year. I'll play the Sunshine Double first time after, I think, six years."

Van de Zandschulp will face Francisco Cerúndolo of Argentina on Monday in the Round of 32.

Novak Djokovic told reporters that he is not dealing with an injury despite a video showing him limping into an airport a few weeks ago, and he added that he's "feeling good" and planning to play the Sunshine Double (BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells and Miami Open).

"It was really, yeah, awkward to see that video, because I arrived to the airport and I hit myself really badly as I was walking out, because it was very early, I think, 4 or 5 a.m. I was just limping because I hit myself badly in the ankle," Djokovic said, per ESPN.com's D'Arcy Maine.

"That's all. It was just a hit. It was nothing else. But then people connected it to the injury and thought it was something escalating and coming back.

"But anyway, I'm feeling good. I really look forward coming to Indian Wells and Miami this year. I'll play the Sunshine Double first time after, I think, six years."

Djokovic suffered a muscle tear in his left hamstring that forced him to retire after one set in the Australian Open semifinals against Alexander Zverev on Jan. 13.

He didn't compete again until Feb. 17 in the Round of 32 at the Qatar Open. Djokovic fell to Matteo Berrettini in straight sets.

The aforementioned video showed Djokovic heading into the airport following that tournament.

Djokovic, who will be coached by Andy Murray for both events, will play the winner of Botic van de Zandschulp and Nick Kyrgios in the Round of 64 at Indian Wells on Saturday.

The WTA is offering its players paid maternity leave for the first time as part of its partnership with the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.

In an announcement on Thursday, the WTA said pregnant players on the tour can receive 12 months of paid maternity leave. The organization is also offering two months of paid leave for those who become parents via partner pregnancy, surrogacy or adoption.

WTA CEO Portia Archer said in a separate statement that this is a "groundbreaking" moment for the players in the sport.

"Independent contractors and self-employed individuals don't typically have these kinds of maternity benefits provided and available to them. They have to go out and sort of figure out those benefits for themselves," Archer explained. "This is really sort of novel and groundbreaking."

The WTA says there are currently 25 active players who are mothers. Serena Williams was involved in one of the famous pregnancy announcements in April 2017 when she posted a picture on Instagram with the caption "20 weeks."

Some quick reverse math determined that Williams was roughly two months pregnant with her first child when she won the Australian Open in January.

Other notable players who have given birth in the last few years include Naomi Osaka, Caroline Wozniacki and Victoria Azarenka.

The WTA and Saudi Public Investment Fund announced a multiyear partnership in May 2024 that is intended to "enhance and develop initiatives to support players at all levels."

Emma Raducanu is in Indian Wells, California, for the 2025 BNP Paribas Open and her first tournament since a spectator was removed from one of her matches in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, last month for "exhibiting fixated behavior toward her," per Matthew Futterman of The Athletic.

"I'm here because I feel a lot better now," she said, per Futterman.

She publicly discussed the situation for the first time ahead of the tournament and said, "I was obviously very distraught. I saw him first game of the match, and I was like: 'I don’t know how I'm going to finish.'"

Raducanu ended up losing her second-round match against Karolina Muchová and said, "I literally couldn't see the ball through the tears, I could barely breathe."

Futterman noted Dubai authorities released a statement that said the person "approached her, left her a note, took her photograph, and engaged in behaviour that caused her distress."

There will be two tournament security workers with her at almost all times during the tournament in Indian Wells after the incident in Dubai and another one in 2022 when a man showed up at her family home in London.

The men from both incidents were given restraining orders.

"In Dubai, I was alone and in a different country, so I felt a lot more, I guess, vulnerable," Raducanu said.

Raducanu will face Moyuka Uchijima in the round of 128 in Indian Wells on Thursday and will then go against No. 3 seed Coco Gauff in the round of 64 if she prevails in her first match. 

The furthest she has advanced in Indian Wells in the past is the round of 16 in 2023. She reached the round of 32 last year.

Some of the best players in the world could face a tough road at Indian Wells following Monday night's draw.

The BNP Paribas Open in California is typically one of the most exciting non-Grand Slams on the ATP and WTA tours, and this year will be no different after the unveiling of the loaded fields on both the men's and women's sides.

Of course, all eyes will be on 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic, who drew the No. 6 seed this year. The draw didn't do the 37-year-old much favors, as he could potentially face Nick Kyrgios in the second round and meet Indian Wells two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in the quarterfinals.

Kyrgios previously defeated Djokovic in the round of 16 at Indian Wells in 2017. The Serbian has three career losses against Alcaraz but has won their last two matchups and four of the last five.

With World No. 1 Jannik Sinner sitting out due to a three-month doping suspension, Alexander Zverev drew the No. 1 seed in the BNP Paribas Open. No. 5 seed Daniil Medvedev, who reached the final at Indian Wells in 2023, should also be considered a threat.

On the women's side, World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka drew the top seed over Indian Wells defending champion Iga Swiatek. Sabalenka is just 1-2 since losing the Australian Open final.

Coco Gauff, who drew the No. 3 seed, could face a tough path with potential matchups against fellow former US Open champion Emma Raducanu in the second round and No. 5 Madison Keys, who is coming off her first major victory at the 2025 Australian Open, in the quarterfinals.

The first round of the BNP Paribas Open is set to begin on Wednesday, with qualifying play already underway at Indian Wells.