© UCLA
“Greetings to all tennis fans from the BNP Paribas Open, Indian Wells, California. It’s 2024 and the last time I played this tournament was in 2019. It’s been five long years, too long without being part of the Tennis Paradise tournament. One of the best tournaments in the world without a doubt, probably the favorite Masters 1000 of many players, including myself.
I can’t wait to come back and play in front of some of the best fans we have on Tour again. I think back to 2008, the first time I won the title at Indian Wells – one of the biggest successes of my career at that time.
I remember playing against Fish in the final. I was lucky to have won the tournament four more times playing some epic matches in the final against Federer and Nadal. I’m really looking forward to coming back.”
With these words, Novak Djokovic introduced himself at the media day of the BNP Paribas Open. Five years have passed since the last match played by the Serb at the ATP Masters 1000 in Indian Wells.
Novak Djokovic delighted the UCLA students
The pause imposed by the pandemic, the decision to move the tournament to October 2021 and the entry rules in force in the United States during the last two editions have somehow hindered the presence of the Serbian champion.
