Novak Djokovic was handed a shocking loss in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday night when 20-year-old Italian tennis pro Luca Nardi upset him in three sets.
“This is a miracle,” Nardi, who’s ranked No. 123, said of his stunning victory. “I’m a 20-years-old guy, 100 in the world, and beating Novak. So, crazy. Crazy.”
Luca Nardi of Italy celebrates with his team members after his three set victory against Novak Djokovic of Serbia in their third round match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 11, 2024 in Indian Wells, California. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
The 24-time Grand Slam champion lost 6-4,3-6, 6-3 to Nardi, who entered the tournament as a “lucky loser,” a player who made it into the main draw after replacing an injured player before the first round.
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“Congrats to him, particularly in the third set he played some great tennis, moves well, very talented. He got into the main draw as a lucky loser, so he didn’t have anything to lose. He played great and deserves to win,” Djokovic said after the match, via USA Today.
“I was more surprised with my level. My level was really, really bad. Those two things coming together — he’s having a great day, I’m having a really bad day, and the result is a negative outcome for me.”
Novak Djokovic of Serbia celebrates a point against Luca Nardi of Italy in their third round match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 11, 2024 in Indian Wells, California. (Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Nardi took the first set followed by Djokovic’s resurgence in the second. But the young pro, who grew up admiring the Serbian tennis star, took a 4-2 lead in the third before defeating Djokvic to advance to the round of 16 where he will take on American Tommy Paul.
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“Honestly, I tried to [not] listen too much to the crowd. I was trying just to be focused on what I had to do,” Nardi told reporters.
“But after the match, my coaches told me, ‘Luca, everyone was cheering for you.’ Such, I mean, incredible. Against Djokovic, he’s the best player ever. So I think that I will keep it, this moment for me, yeah, for the rest of my life, yeah, for sure.”
Luca Nardi of Italy is congratulated by Novak Djokovic of Serbia after their match during the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on March 11, 2024 in Indian Wells, California. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)
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With the win, Nardi became the lowest-ranked player to ever beat Djokovic in a Grand Slam or ATP Masters 1000 level event, surpassing Kevin Anderson who did so in 2008 ranked No. 122.
“Before this night, no one knew me,” Nardi said. “I hope now the crowd enjoyed the game. I’m super happy with this one.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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