Legendary tennis player Roger Federer has weighed in on the Indian Wells Masters, expressing his confidence in old rival Novak Djokovic’s ability to claim the title. Despite being retired for over a year, Federer remains engaged with the tennis world, offering insights into the ongoing tournament.
Reflecting on the absence of Rafael Nadal, Federer acknowledged Djokovic as the standout contender, stating, “So unfortunately Rafa but out but I think Novak is still the big favourite to get it.” With Nadal’s withdrawal and Federer’s retirement, Djokovic stands as the sole representative of the Big Three at Indian Wells.
Federer, a five-time Indian Wells champion himself, identified two other players who could challenge Djokovic for the title. He mentioned rising star Jannik Sinner, who has been on an impressive winning streak since the Australian Open, and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz as potential contenders. Federer emphasized, “I think the winner is going to be one of those three guys.”
Despite his appreciation for the tournament, Federer expressed regret over not being able to attend this year, noting his children’s fondness for Indian Wells. He reminisced about their past experiences at the event, highlighting its significance as a family outing.
While Federer reminisces about the tournament, Djokovic also reflects on the past, particularly the era dominated by the Big Three. Djokovic acknowledged the unique dynamic of their rivalry, expressing that their absence creates a “strange feeling.” He emphasized the challenge of finding new rivals, despite his recent matches with Sinner and Alcaraz.
Djokovic’s sentiments echo Federer’s, who also recognized the unparalleled significance of their rivalry. Despite enjoying matches with emerging talents, Federer acknowledged that Federer and Nadal remain his “two biggest rivals.”
As Djokovic and the other contenders vie for victory at Indian Wells, Federer’s endorsement of Djokovic underscores the Serbian’s status as a formidable force in the tennis world. With the absence of Nadal and Federer, Djokovic carries the weight of their legacy into the tournament, aiming to continue his dominance on the court.
Djokovic in Indian Wells, ranking, and results in 2024
LWWWLWLWWW At the moment ranked no.1, Novak achieved a compiled 8-2 match record in 2024. Djokovic is playing at the moment in Indian Wells where he conquered the world no.69 Aleksandar Vukic 6-2 5-7 6-3.
Novak Djokovic will take on the world no.123 Luca Nardi in the 3rd round on Monday at 6:00 pm on STADIUM 1. They have never competed against each other so far in top tournaments.
Djokovic won 98 titles in his career: 52 on hard courts, 19 on clay courts, 19 on indoor courts and 8 on grass courts. (See the list of his titles)
Djokovic will play next in Miami (Miami Open). He will start to play the tournament from the main draw that will commence on the 18th of March.
Roger Federer in 2024
Ranked no., Federer played his last match on the 7th of July 2021 when he lost to world no.8 Hubert Hurkacz 6-3 7-6(4) 6-0 in the quarter in Wimbledon (draw).
At present, during this year Federer has a composed 9-4 record.
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer played each other 50 times. Their head to head is 27-23 for Djokovic. Previously, the last time they fought against each other, Novak Djokovic won 7-6(1) 6-4 6-3 in the semifinal in Melbourne (Australian Open) in January 2020.
In the following video you can watch the highlights.
Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer |
| Embed from Getty Images |
