Match PreviewSerbian is chasing his record sixth title at BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells
March 07, 2025
Peter Staples/ATP Tour
Novak Djokovic practises on Thursday in Indian Wells, with coach Andy Murray looking on. By ATP Staff
As an ATP Tour legend spoke to media Thursday ahead of his bid to win a record sixth title at the BNP Paribas Open, one of the game’s brightest prospects was celebrating a successful start to his career at the event in Indian Wells.
Novak Djokovic was asked at his pre-tournament press conference for his impressions of Joao Fonseca shortly after the #NextGenATP star downed Jacob Fearnley on debut at the ATP Masters 1000. The 99-time tour-level titlist Djokovic said he was impressed with what he had seen so far of 18-year-old Fonseca, whose rapid rise as a teen is something he can relate to.
“It does feel great, when you’re that young and playing in a high level, not much to lose, a lot to gain,” said Djokovic, who won his maiden ATP Tour title aged 19 in 2006. “Of course attention from the people, support, builds up. It all adds to a great evolution of the player and the personality eventually will come to the point where it’s going to convert into pressure and expectations from himself, from others, and so forth.
“He seems to be handling it all very well. I don’t know him personally so well, but from what I have seen on the court, not only the way he plays but the way he behaves, and people around him, seems like there is a very good level of balance and professionalism and devotion, like what we have seen for the last couple years with [Carlos] Alcaraz.”
However Fonseca fares for the rest of the BNP Paribas Open, Djokovic will be focusing on his own prospects at an event where he is looking to move clear of Roger Federer for the most men’s singles titles. A year ago, the Serbian fell to Luca Nardi in the third round on his first Indian Wells appearance in five years, and he is bidding to rediscover his best level this time around in California, as well as at the Miami Open presented by Itau, where he will compete for the first time since 2019 later this month.
“I’m feeling good. I really look forward coming to Indian Wells and Miami this year,” said Djokovic, who has completed the ‘Sunshine Double’ of winning both events in the same year a record four times (2011, 2014-16). “I’ll play the Sunshine Double first time after six years. So I look forward to that.
“I haven’t done really well in Indian Wells and Miami ever since 2016 or ’17, and I struggled to find my best game here. I’m not going to get younger; I know that. But I definitely look to go deep in the tournament. I’ve done, I think, the right things in preparation. I’ve been playing some good tennis these days. So let’s see how far I can go.”
Another QF blockbuster? 🤩
Alcaraz and Djokovic could meet in the QF AGAIN, this time at the @BNPPARIBASOPEN 👀#TennisParadise
— ATP Tour (@atptour) March 4, 2025
Accompanying Djokovic across the Sunshine swing will be his coach Andy Murray, who returns to the Serbian’s player box for the first time since January’s Australian Open. The pair of former No. 1s in the PIF ATP Rankings, whose Lexus ATP Head2Head rivalry lit up tennis’ biggest stages for years, have agreed on a short-term plan for their working relationship.
“I mean, for me personally I wanted to keep going the same day we finished the tournament, so I told him that,” said Djokovic, when asked about the process of agreeing to continue working with Murray. “But for him, it took some time to go back and reflect on the partnership, speak to his people, his family, and see how committed he wants to be and where he can travel with me and work in terms of the schedule.
“So I was very glad when he decided to keep going, Indian Wells, Miami, most of the clay-court season. We’re going to speak after Miami, obviously, but I think the plan is to go all the way until the end of Roland Garros, and hopefully Wimbledon as well.”
