Five-time BNP Paribas Open champion Novak Djokovic makes his return to the ATP World Tour this week, competing in just his second tournament since Wimbledon last July. The former No. 1 in the ATP Rankings has a shot at pulling ahead of Roger Federer on the final Sunday with an unprecedented sixth title in the desert. It is a decade since the 30-year-old claimed the first of his five Indian Wells titles (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016). He had finished runner-up to Rafael Nadal the year before in just his second appearance. [ALSO LIKE] Now in his 13th appearance, the Serbian is keeping expectations in check in his first tournament back since a “small medical intervention” on his right elbow....
Ernesto Escobedo accomplished a lot of "firsts" on Friday. The 21-year-old won his maiden match at the main-draw level in Indian Wells in his initial attempt. The BNP Paribas Open also happens to be first on Escobedo's list of event favourites, and for good reason. "I've been coming here since I was eight years old; a young kid with curly hair and with so many dreams, just walking the grounds with a visor," Escobedo said. "One of the first practices I watched was the Bryan brothers. I have a picture with Mike. I have always dreamed about playing here, playing a match on centre court." Escobedo, a wild card at the BNP Paribas Open, lived those childhood dreams by emerging...
It is rare these days Roger Federer has a score to settle with an opponent he has lost to and never beaten before. The defending BNP Paribas Open champion will earn that chance on Saturday when he takes on Federico Delbonis in the second round. Federer trails the pair’s FedEx ATP Head2Head ledger 0-1 after the Argentine prevailed on clay in Hamburg in 2013. Delbonis advanced to the second-round showdown after he saved two match points to deny American Ryan Harrison in three sets. Much like their lone prior encounter, the No. 67 in the ATP Rankings will look to dictate play with his powerful lefty forehand against the five-time Indian Wells champion. Delbonis’s best result came two years ago...
Gael Monfils began his 10th appearance at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells on a positive note, defeating Australia’s Matthew Ebden 6-3, 6-3 on Friday. The 31-year-old, who reached the quarter-finals in 2016 (l. to Raonic), broke Ebden on four occasions, and came back from 0-2 down in the second set, to secure the 71-minute win. The Frenchman improves his 2018 win/loss record to 12-5, highlighted by his seventh title on tour in the first week of the season at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open in Doha (d. Rublev). Monfils isn't accustomed to playing first-round matches in Indian Wells – the Frenchman has had a first-round bye his past five appearances in the desert (2017, 2016, 2014, 2010, 2009). But...
After navigating his way through a tricky first-round clash against countryman Julien Benneteau 6-4, 7-6(9) on Thursday, World No. 100 Jeremy Chardy took a moment to look back at some notable first time moments in his life with ATPWorldTour.com: First time I realised I loved tennis It was not at the beginning, because at the beginning I preferred to play football rather than tennis and I think it was [when I was] around 14-years-old because I had to decide if I continued to play tennis or football. I was good at both and I decided to play tennis. I think that was the moment. First coach and the most important lesson he taught me The first time I went on...
