Djokovic stunned by Nardi in monumental upset at Indian Wells

World number one Novak Djokovic, suffered a surprising defeat against lucky loser Luca Nardi in a thrilling match at Indian Wells. The Italian player referred to his victory as a "miracle".

Nardi, who admired Djokovic while growing up and is currently ranked 123rd in the world, delivered an outstanding performance to defeat the Serbian player. He dropped his racket and covered his face with his hands after hitting an ace to secure the victory.

The loss marks the end of Djokovic's quest for a sixth title at the tournament in the California desert.

"This is truly a miracle," expressed Nardi, who was defeated by David Goffin in qualifiers earlier in the week and only entered the main draw due to Tomas Etcheverry's injury withdrawal.

"I'm a 20-year-old, ranked 100th in the world, and I managed to beat Novak. Unbelievable. Absolutely unbelievable."

Nardi started the match strongly on the center court, luring Djokovic to the net with a short ball and then hitting a forehand winner to break serve and take a 3-2 lead.

Although Djokovic fought back in the second set, breaking Nardi twice and holding serve to level the match, his opponent, who had a poster of Djokovic in his room as a child, continued to push forward.

Nardi secured a crucial break with a backhand winner to go up 4-2 in the final set before ultimately causing the upset.

His next opponent will be American Tommy Paul.

In an earlier match, Gael Monfils staged an impressive comeback from a set and 3-0 down to defeat former champion Cameron Norrie 6-7, 7-6, 6-3 and advance to the last 16.

The 37-year-old Frenchman captivated the audience with his shot-making skills and showmanship, setting up a fourth-round clash with ninth seed Casper Ruud.

Norrie, the 2021 tournament winner, struggled with 60 unforced errors and couldn't solve the unpredictable puzzle presented by Monfils during the three-hour and 15-minute battle.

"I'm feeling better and better, to be honest," Monfils commented, having dealt with a wrist injury last season.

"I've been playing consistently week after week, which I haven't done in a long time. I feel good. My body is holding up well, so I'm pleased with that."

In other third-round matches, Holger Rune, the seventh seed, triumphed over Lorenzo Musetti with a score of 6-2, 7-6. Additionally, the 17th-seeded American player, Paul, smoothly sailed past Ugo Humbert, securing a 6-4, 6-4 victory.