{"id":1821691,"date":"2026-03-12T06:00:11","date_gmt":"2026-03-12T03:00:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1821691"},"modified":"2026-03-12T06:00:11","modified_gmt":"2026-03-12T03:00:11","slug":"indian-wells-open-novak-djokovic-highlights-crucial-moment-that-cost-him-during-jack-draper-defeat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1821691","title":{"rendered":"Indian Wells Open: Novak Djokovic highlights crucial moment that &#8216;cost&#8217; him during Jack Draper defeat"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Indian Wells Open: Novak Djokovic highlights crucial moment that \u2018cost\u2019 him during Jack Draper defeat<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/shahidaj\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Shahida Jacobs                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"12 Mar 2026 6:00 AM\" data-ps-date=\"12 Mar 2026 6:00 AM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1773295211\"><br \/>\n                            12 Mar 2026 6:00 AM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred 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aria-label=\"Share to flipboard\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_dark@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/common\/google_preferred_source_badge_light@2x.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Indian Wells Open: Novak Djokovic highlights crucial moment that \u2018cost\u2019 him during Jack Draper defeat\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Jack-Draper-and-Novak-Djokovic-after-their-match-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Pictured: Jack Draper and Novak Djokovic after their match\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                Jack Draper and Novak Djokovic after their match                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\">\n<p>Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper produced one of the rallies of the season during their gruelling Indian Wells Open clash and the 24-time Grand Slam winner believes that was a key factor to his defeat in the end.<\/p>\n<p>Third seed <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/novak-djokovic\">Djokovic<\/a> won the opening set via a single break in game 10 before <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/jack-draper\">Draper<\/a> broke twice in the second set to take the fourth-round match to a decider.<\/p>\n<p>And it was in the opening game of the third set with the score 30-30 on the Djokovic serve when they slugged it out for a 26-point rally that took a lot out of both players.<\/p>\n<p>The former world No 1 won the point and, although the British player had a break point later in the game, the Serbian saved it and managed to hold serve to go 1-0 up, but he believes it cost him a game later.<\/p>\n<p>After a comfortable hold from Draper, he broke to take a 1-2 lead and, although Djokovic managed to claim the break back later, the defending champion held his nerve during the tie-breaker to win 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).<\/p>\n<h2>Novak Djokovic News<\/h2>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/novak-djokovic-grand-slam-record-warning\">Novak Djokovic told he is \u2018a long way\u2019 from winning record breaking 25th Grand Slam title<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/atp-tour\/indian-wells-open-why-is-novak-djokovic-wearing-white-sleeve\">Indian Wells Open: Why is Novak Djokovic wearing a white sleeve?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Asked what made the difference in the end, he replied: \u201cOne point. Yeah, one point.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The former Indian Wells champion then described THAT point, saying: \u201cYeah, I mean, it cost me a break after, you know. It was great winning that point in that game, but I just, like, ran completely out of gas and just started to feel a bit better towards basically end of the third.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHe played a sloppy game to close it out 5-4, and, you know, I got the crowd, you know, backing me, and I felt the energy. It was, like, maybe I\u2019m gonna take this one.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt was so close, so close. I mean, just unfortunate few mistakes from my side. Tiebreak, 4-3 up. 5-All, as well.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThat\u2019s tennis.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Djokovic was also full of praise for Draper, who is still nursing his way back after missing the latter half of the 2025 season due to an arm injury.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t think there is any major difference in his level from what he has, you know, shown pre-injury,\u201d the 38-year-old said. \u201cI mean, he\u2019s been playing at a great level, actually. I have watched him a little bit, had some highlights in Dubai that he has played there a few matches.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd here, obviously defending champion, he really likes the conditions, suiting his game, and you could see that. I mean, he\u2019s playing really well. I mean, he\u2019s confident and he was always confident and physically very fit.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou know, just overall a great player, great guy. I wish him all the best for the rest of the tournament.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Indian Wells Open: Novak Djokovic highlights crucial moment that \u2018cost\u2019 him during Jack Draper defeat Shahida Jacobs 12 Mar 2026 6:00 AM Jack Draper and Novak Djokovic after their match Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper produced one of the rallies of the season during their gruelling Indian Wells Open clash and the 24-time Grand Slam [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-1821691","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1821691","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1821691"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1821691\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1821691"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1821691"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1821691"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}