Novak Djokovic will seek his first Indian Wells crown since 2016! The five-time champion will have to present his A-game right from the start of his desert campaign, with a potential R2 clash with Nick Kyrgios!
Djokovic and Kyrgios shared the court in Brisbane in the first week of the season, although on the same side of the court. If Nick passed a qualifier in the first round, the two great friends will embrace their fourth singles duel, the first in nearly three years.
In case you missed it 😉@DjokerNole & @NickKyrgios‘s doubles debut 👇#BrisbaneInternational pic.twitter.com/OgOCKY2Psz
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) December 30, 2024
Kyrgios ousted Djokovic two times within a couple of weeks in 2017 in Acapulco and Indian Wells. The Aussie served well and outplayed the Serb in the pivotal moments to notch two notable victories. They did not like each other back then, to say at least, but the things improved in the next couple of years.
Their third duel came in the 2022 Wimbledon final, with two rivals showing mutual respect and promising to play in the doubles. Novak defeated Nick in four sets to lift his seventh Wimbledon crown. It remains their most recent duel, with the Aussie struggling with various injuries over the last couple of years.
Nick Kyrgios & Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon 2022© Stream screenshot
Kyrgios has played only three matches since October 2022, including two at the beginning of 2025. He experienced more issues during Brisbane and the Australian Open and took a couple of weeks off the court. Nick hopes to compete injury-free in Indian Wells and cause a couple of upsets.
If he passes a qualifier in the first round, we will see him battling against the 24-time Major winner. It’s hard to imagine the bigger motivation for the Aussie, especially if he plans to extend his tennis journey and target the top-20 return.
Novak Djokovic & Nick Kyrgios, Brisbane 2025© Stream screenshot
Djokovic will play his fourth tournament of the season in Indian Wells. He fell to Reilly Opelka in Brisbane before experiencing a hamstring injury in Melbourne. Novak retired in the semi-final against Alexander Zverev and recovered for the ATP 500 event in Doha.
The legend fell to Matteo Berrettini in the first round, and he certainly wants to embrace a much deeper run at one of his favorite tournaments. If they both present their A-game, we should see another thriller from Novak and Nick, the first in years!
Tennis World USA