Novak Djokovic has been dumped from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells by lucky loser Luca Nardi.
Nardi, 20, booked a last-16 encounter with American Tommy Paul as he defeated the world number 1 6-4, 3-6, 6-3. The Italian, currently ranked 123 in the world, is the lowest-ranked player to beat Djokovic at ATP Masters 1000 or Grand Slam level.
“I don’t know (how I kept my nerves),” he said. “I think it’s a miracle, because I’m a 20-year-old man, 100 in the world, and I beat Novak. It’s crazy.”
Nardi sealed his victory with his sixth ace, hitting 16 winners in the final set, against just two from the five-time Indian Wells champion.
“It’s good. You know, it’s part of the sport,” said Djokovic. “You just have to accept it. Some you win; some you lose. Hopefully I win some more and keep going. I think every trophy that eventually comes my way will be great, obviously to kind of break the kind of negative cycle that I have in the last three, four tournaments where I haven’t really been close to my best.”
Paul reached the last 16 with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Frenchman Ugo Humbert, while seventh seed Holger Rune, ninth seed Casper Ruud, Taylor Fritz and Grigor Dimitrov all advanced in straight sets. Dimitrov will play fourth seed Daniil Medvedev, who needed three sets to beat Sebastian Korda 6-4, 5-7, 6-3.
However, British No. 1 Cameron Norrie bowed out after a dramatic 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3 defeat to French veteran Gaël Monfils. Norrie led by a set and 3-0 before falling victim to a thrilling comeback from the 37-year-old.
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Monfils leveled again in an extraordinary second-set tie-break, winning a point with an underarm serve before capturing the set at the end of a stunning 31-stroke rally.