Novak Djokovic attempts a shot during his victory over Kamil Mahirczak at the BNP Paribas Open on March 7, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. Third seed Novak Djokovic dropped the hammer after losing the first set to beat Poland’s Kamil Mahirzak 4-6, 6-1, 6-2 in his opening match of the second round of the BNP Paribas Open on a windy Saturday in Indian Wells, California.
The Serb, who has won five titles at Indian Wells, displayed a rusty opening set in his first match since losing the Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz on February 1, making more unforced errors (14) than winners (12).
He fought back, saving all three break points he faced in the second set and facing none in the third, while Majchrzak committed 29 errors to 12 winners in the final two sets.
“With five weeks without an official match, I knew that my first match in such a long time would be a bit tricky. Of course there were some pretty difficult conditions,” Djokovic said after the win. “But you know, I was able to reset right away in the second set after losing the first set and I never really looked back.”
Alcaraz also started Saturday’s match in Indian Wells, beating Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov 6-2, 6-3 in 67 minutes. The top-seeded Spaniard saved the only break point he faced while converting three of four on Dimitrov’s serve, hitting six aces to two double faults.
Two seeded Russian competitors weren’t so lucky on Saturday. 16th seed Karen Khachanov defeated 19-year-old Brazilian Joao Fonseca 4-6, 7-6(7), 6-4 and Canada’s Gabriel Diallo defeated 17th seed Andrey Rublev 6-7(4), 7-6(1), 6-3.
Khachanov and Rublev each arrived late in Indian Wells after being initially stranded in Dubai last week when airspace was closed in the aftermath of a U.S. missile attack on Iran.
Fonseca saved a pair of match points in the second set tiebreaker to rally from a 6-4 hole to take a 4-1 lead in the final set.
“(Today) was a great match against a great player. I am very happy with the way I fought,” Fonseca said in an on-court interview. “I know how experienced he is. After a tough second set, he had an early break in the third set. This win means a lot.”
20th-seeded Italian Luciano Darderi lost 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 to Australian qualifier Rinky Hijikata, while Argentina’s Sebastian Baez defeated Czech 22nd-seeded Jiri Reheka 6-4, 6-1 in straight sets.
The highest seeded American player, Taylor Fritz, beat Britain’s Jacob Fearnley 6-3, 6-7(8), 6-1 in his opening match.
Eleventh-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev also beat Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo 6-4, 6-2 after arriving late in California after being stranded in Dubai.
The three seeded competitors survived a three-set thriller, with No. 10 Alexander Bublik beating lucky loser Vit Kopriva of the Czech Republic 3-6, 7-6(3), 6-2. Britain’s 14th seed Jack Draper won 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 against Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut. 19th seed Argentine Francisco Cerundolo beat French qualifier Benjamin Bonzi 6-4, 5-7, 7-6(5).
13th seed Kaspar Ruud of Norway defeated Kazakhstan’s Alexander Shevchenko 6-1, 7-6(4); Monaco’s Valentin Vachero (No. 24) (7-5, 7-5 over Portugal’s Nuno Borges); No. 26 Arthur Rinderknech of France (walkover of Argentina’s Juan Manuel Cerundolo) each advanced with minimal drama.
Unseeded American competitors had a mixed bag in Saturday’s competition. Alex Michelson defeated No. 32 seed Frenchman Ugo Humbert 7-5, 6-7(5), 7-6(6). Disposed of Aleksander Kovacevic (France No. 31 Corentin Moutet) 6-1, 6-4.
Sebastian Korda took the first set against sixth-seeded Aussie Alex de Minaur but fell 4-6, 6-4, 6-4. Qualifier Mackenzie McDonald fell to Britain’s No. 27 Cameron Norrie 6-2, 6-3 in straight sets.
–Field level media
