INDIAN WELLS (AFP) — Novak Djokovic struggled to a winning comeback at the ATP-WTA Indian Wells Masters five years after his last appearance, defeating Aleksandar Vukic 6-2, 5-7, 6-3 on Saturday.
World No. 1 Djokovic, who had not played since losing an Australian Open semi-final to Jannik Sinner on 26 January, is chasing a sixth title at the desert venue in the season’s first Masters event.
The 36-year-old Serb captured the 400th Masters-level victory of his career, joining Rafael Nadal as the only men to reach the 400 milestone at the elite level.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion has won his last 11 Masters matches, collecting titles last season in Cincinnati and Paris Bercy.
In the women’s draw, third seed Coco Gauff rallied from four games down in the final set to defeat France’s Clara Burel 2-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7/4).
Former No. 1 Naomi Osaka continued her comeback after motherhood as she reached the third round with a 7-5, 6-3 victory over Liudmila Samsonova.
Djokovic claimed 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 to 6-5 in the second set and landed a reflex service return winner on the line to square the match at a set each.
In the third set, top seed Djokovic broke for a 3-2 edge and closed out victory with a second break after just over two hours, notching his 51st win at the tournament where he first competed in 2006.
“It was difficult to go through him. He played amazing,” Djokovic said of Vukic. “He was ripping his forehand and crushing his serve.”
“In the third set I managed to crack the code. I stepped it up and finished the match in great style.”
Danish seventh seed Holger Rune was handed a free ride into the third round when former Wimbledon finalist Milos Raonic of Canada pulled out of their match with an injury.
US 12th seed Taylor Fritz, the 2022 winner, dispatched Alejandro Tabilo of Chile 7-6 (7/2), 6-2 in 73 minutes, pumping out 14 aces among his 27 winners.
“I needed to play well to protect my serve,” Fritz said. “I always feel confident coming out here.”
No. 13 Grigor Dimitrov, a 2021 semi-finalist, advanced past Alexandre Muller of France 7-5, 6-2.
Britain’s Cameron Norrie reached the third round over Italy’s Lorenzo Sonego 6-4, 6-4.
Last weekend’s Dubai champion, Ugo Humbert, the 14th seed from France, defeated American Patrick Kypson by the same scoreline.
Reigning US Open champion Gauff, who had a first-round bye, needed more than two and a quarter hours to advance.
Third-ranked Gauff was playing in front of a home crowd for the first time since winning her first Grand Slam title last September.
Gauff, who turns 20 next Wednesday, broke a WTA record by reaching 50 wins as a teenager at the Masters 1000 level, a category established in 2009.
Gauff trailed her 47th-ranked French opponent 4-0 and 5-2 in the deciding third set, but was able to power back and throw it into a tie-breaker.
She paved the way by breaking Burel to love as the Frenchwoman served for victory leading 5-4.
In the tie-breaker, Gauff advanced on her third match point as Burel swung wide.
“I’m happy with the mental fight,” Gauff said. “It was not my best tennis… but it’s how you show up on your worst days, not your best ones, that counts.”
“Just getting through that match definitely meant a lot, I could have easily thrown in the towel. Am I proud of how I played? Not really, to be honest. But the fight, I am proud of.”
Fifth-ranked Jessica Pegula was knocked out 6-2, 3-6, 6-3 by Anna Blinkova, who took revenge for a loss to the American at the start of the month in San Diego.
Blinkova, ranked 45th, added a second high-profile name to her victims’ list after defeating Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open.
Unseeded Emma Raducanu benefited as Dayana Yastremska retired four games into their match with an unspecified injury, handing the Briton a 4-0 win and a place in the third round.
