Defending champ Draper drops Djokovic to reach Indian Wells quarterfinals

Defending champion Jack Draper rallied to beat Novak Djokovic 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 (7/5) on Wednesday to reach the quarterfinals of the Indian Wells ATP Masters 1000.

Draper wore down the 38-year-old Serb superstar in a physical third set, denying Djokovic his first return to the quarterfinals since the last of his five Indian Wells titles in 2016.

Djkovic, playing his first tournament since falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final, looked to be feeling the strain as a punishing third set unfolded.

Draper, playing his second event since missing the better part of six months with an arm injury, will take on 11th-seeded Russian Daniil Medvedev for a place in the semifinals.