Djokovic, Tsitsipas Team Up In Doubles, Face Blockbuster Opener Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas made their doubles debut at the Indian Wells tournament in a high-profile matchup against defending champions Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic. The Serbian and Greek players, who have faced each other in singles for years, including a dramatic 2021 French Open final where Djokovic came from two sets down to win, were granted wildcard entries for the event. This marks Djokovic’s first doubles appearance since 2019, when he reached the semifinals alongside Fabio Fognini. The 38-year-old, now based in Greece, last competed in doubles at the Doha 2025 tournament with Fernando Verdasco, who was playing in his farewell event. Tsitsipas, who lost to Denis Shapovalov in singles, will now focus on doubles, while Djokovic faces a challenging opener against the top-seeded pair. If Djokovic wins and progresses deep into the tournament, he would secure his second doubles title at Indian Wells—a significant achievement, as he would surpass his singles tally of 99 titles. He would also join Rafael Nadal as the second member of the legendary Big Three to win the event, following Nadal’s victory. Roger Federer, though, came close in the past, reaching two finals but falling short. Other notable doubles pairings include Jannik Sinner and Reilly Opelka, who were also granted wildcards. The world No. 2 in singles and the 6-foot-11 American, who previously won the doubles title together in Atlanta, face a tough opening match against top seeds Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos. Another intriguing first-round clash pits Daniil Medvedev and Learner Tien against cousins Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot.#novak_djokovic #stefanos_tsitsipas #marcelo_arevalo #mate_pavic #indian_wells_tournament
