Watch best shots from men’s final between Alcaraz and Djokovic
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Since his breathtaking run to the Australian Open final in January, Novak Djokovic has embarked on something of a whistle-stop tour of great sporting events.The 24-time Grand Slam champion was on his feet, his hands on his head in disbelief as he watched Ilia Malinin backflip Team USA to team figure skating gold in the opening week of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games, before carving out the space in his calendar to attend the EuroLeague basketball match between Olympiacos and Crvena Zvevda.
And, as he prepares to make his return to the court for Indian Wells in California, Djokovic has soaked up all the state has to offer – including meeting two fellow sporting greats on Sunday night.
The Serbian – a five-time Indian Wells champion who holds the record of 20 consecutive match victories at the tournament – was in attendance as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Sacramento Kings 128-104.
Luka Doncic (28 points) and LeBron James (24) put on a spectacle for the attending Djokovic – who was sat alongside American actress Dyan Cannon at Crypto.com Arena.
After a run of three successive defeats in late February, the Lakers have now secured back-to-back wins.
Djokovic produces ‘one of the performances of his life’ to defeat Sinner
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Albeit against the side with the worst record in the Western Conference, Sunday’s clash saw James and Doncic at their very best, the Slovenian going 10-for-16 with four three-pointers.
And after the match, sporting legends assembled as Djokovic was pictured with the Lakers pair – one of those heartwarming moments in which genuine titans of their respective sports come together, and in this case, were even a little starstruck by one another.
“For me, he’s the GOAT,” Doncic told reporters after the match. “So just for him being here watching me, it’s just unreal. I talked to him, I’ll probably see him after, so I’m just really excited he’s here.”
Djokovic is preparing to take to the court for the first time since he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in four sets at the Australian Open final.
His barely-believable run to make it to the final two in Melbourne included a stunning victory over world No. 2 Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, as the 38-year-old came through more than four hours of play across five sets with an all-court masterclass.
Djokovic has taken on a reduced schedule in recent seasons, but continued on tour while others of his generation have bid farewell to the sport.
But Indian Wells is a prestigious ATP 1000 tournament, one rung down from the Grand Slams, and serves as a useful exercise a couple months out from Roland Garros – where Djokovic’s bid for a 25th major title will continue.
Alcaraz and Sinner are also due to compete at Indian Wells, with men’s British No. 1 Jack Draper to defend his title in California. The draw takes place on Monday at 23:00 GMT.
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