Djokovic Confirms Indian Wells Return
Novak Djokovic has confirmed he will compete at Indian Wells this week, ending speculation about his participation after playing just one event in 2026. The BNP Paribas Open kicks off today with wild cards including Gaël Monfils on his farewell tour and Venus Williams. Djokovic has only played the Australian Open this year, reaching the final.
This will be Djokovic's first appearance at the BNP Paribas Open in several years, a tournament he has won five times, a record he shares with Roger Federer. His last victory in the California desert came in 2016. From 2014 to 2017, he amassed an impressive 20-match winning streak at the event. His absence in recent years was due to his decision not to get vaccinated against COVID-19, which prevented him from traveling to the United States. These travel restrictions led to him missing several key tournaments in the U.S., including the US Open in 2022. The U.S. government has since lifted the requirement for foreign air travelers to be vaccinated. Despite his historical success at Indian Wells, Djokovic's more recent outings have resulted in early-round defeats. In his last few appearances, he has been eliminated by players ranked outside the top 50, including defeats to Taro Daniel in 2018 and Philipp Kohlschreiber in 2019. Following his run to the Australian Open final to start the 2026 season, where he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic opted to take a break. He withdrew from the Qatar Open and the Dubai Tennis Championships to recover from his efforts in Melbourne. To prepare for his return to the tour, Djokovic has been training at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). The Indian Wells tournament is the first of the two-part "Sunshine Double." Immediately following the conclusion of the BNP Paribas Open, the ATP Tour will move to Florida for the Miami Open, which begins on March 18th.
