jack draper will continue his Indian Wells title defence after a 6-1 7-5 victory over Francisco Cerundolo on Monday (ET), setting up a last-16 meeting with Novak Djokovic at the tournament. The win came as Draper returns from an eight-month absence linked to an arm injury and follows Djokovic advancing in three sets. British number two Cameron Norrie also progressed, upsetting the sixth seed to reach the fourth round.
Jack Draper to meet Novak Djokovic in fourth round
Jack Draper, the British number one and world number 14, produced a strong performance to close out his match in straight sets, taking the first set inside 32 minutes before fending off a tougher second set that featured a late breakback to win on his first match point. Francisco Cerundolo, ranked world number 20, had the chance to serve for the second set at 5-4 but Draper rallied to claim the match 6-1 7-5.
Novak Djokovic, the world number three, advanced after a 6-4 1-6 6-4 victory over Aleksandar Kovacevic to keep his own campaign moving into the fourth round. Cameron Norrie, identified in the field as British number two, defeated Australia’s Alex de Minaur, the sixth seed, 6-4 6-4 to join Draper in the last 16.
Immediate reactions
Jack Draper, British number one, emphasised the recovery process and the limits of his current form: “I’m only just getting to the point where I’m playing without pain in my arm, so it’s not easy to feel really confident. Obviously I’ve been playing a little bit, but I’ve got to accept that my tennis isn’t going to be completely there for a while. “
On the Djokovic match, the field now prepares for a high-profile clash between the defending champion and the man who has just returned from a long layoff. Djokovic, aged 38, will bring experience and resilience after his three-set win, while Draper arrives having claimed the first set decisively and closed out the second under pressure.
What’s next for jack draper and the field
The immediate focus is the last-16 meeting: Draper will face Djokovic in what will be their first match against each other since Draper won the opening set against the defending champion on his Wimbledon debut in 2021. For Draper, the match is a test of where his game stands on the comeback trail; for Djokovic, it is another step in a campaign that has seen him drop a set in earlier matches but advance nonetheless.
Expect preparations to centre on managing Draper’s arm and match sharpness and on Djokovic’s ability to sustain high-level play through long points and momentum swings. The outcomes in the next round will clarify whether Draper’s return is building toward prime form or whether Djokovic’s experience will close the gap. Further schedule and match times will be set by tournament organisers for the upcoming session at Indian Wells (ET).
