Novak Djokovic has advanced to the third round of the 2026 Indian Wells Masters. During a practice session ahead of his match, he was humorously interrupted by Aryna Sabalenka, which drew a reaction from the 24-time singles Grand Slam champion.
Both Djokovic and Sabalenka last competed in the 2026 Australian Open, where they reached the finals and finished as runners-up to Carlos Alcaraz and Elena Rybakina, respectively.
Aryna Sabalenka Walks Across Court Disrupting Novak Djokovic’s Practice Session at Indian Wells
Djokovic is seeded third at the 2026 Indian Wells Masters and began his campaign in the second round after receiving a first-round bye. In his opening match, he faced Kamil Majchrzak and lost the first set 4-6. However, he mounted a comeback, winning the next two sets and the match with a final score of 4-6, 6-1, 6-2.
Before his third-round match, during a practice session, Sabalenka amusingly interrupted Djokovic while he was preparing to serve. As he was about to serve, Sabalenka playfully walked across the court, causing both players to laugh.
Using his practice court as a catwalk 👠🤣@SabalenkaA @DjokerNole #TennisParadise pic.twitter.com/vjKshVo0NR
— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) March 8, 2026
Djokovic and Sabalenka share a heartwarming friendship. Before starting their campaigns at Indian Wells, the Serb approached Sabalenka, admired her engagement ring, and congratulated her on her engagement to Georgios Frangulis. Last year, Djokovic and his wife, Jelena, went on a double date with Sabalenka and Frangulis in Greece.
Looking ahead, Djokovic will face Aleksandar Kovacevic in the third round of the 2026 Indian Wells Masters. The two players have met once on the ATP Tour, during the first round of the 2023 French Open, where the former World No. 1 secured a 6-3, 6-2, 7-6 (1) win.
The winner of the third-round match between Djokovic and Kovacevic at the ATP Masters 1000 hard court tournament in California will advance to face either defending champion, 14th seed Jack Draper, or 19th seed Francisco Cerúndolo in the fourth round.
On the women’s side of the draw, Sabalenka is the top seed at the 2026 BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells. She began her tournament run in the second round, following a first-round bye, and won her opening match against qualifier Himeno Sakatsume with a score of 6-4, 6-2.
Sabalenka then eliminated Jaqueline Cristian, winning 6-4, 6-1 in the third round. In the fourth round, she will face former champion, 16th seed Naomi Osaka. The two players have faced each other once before, in the fourth round of the 2018 US Open, where Osaka won 6-3, 2-6, 6-4. Osaka went on to defeat Serena Williams in the final, claiming her first Grand Slam title.
The winner of the fourth-round match between Sabalenka and Osaka will advance to the quarterfinals to face either sixth seed Amanda Anisimova, 10th seed Victoria Mboko or 23rd seed Anna Kalinskaya.
