Djokovic Falls to Van De Zandschulp in Early Exit.

Novak Djokovic suffered a surprising second-round exit at the BNP Paribas Open, falling 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 to lucky loser Botic Van De Zandschulp on Saturday. It marks the second straight year that the 24-time Grand Slam champion has been ousted by a lucky loser in Indian Wells, following last year’s loss to Luca Nardi.Djokovic struggled from the start, committing 14 unforced errors and dropping serve twice in the opening set.

He responded with a strong push in the second, racing to a 3-0 lead and leveling the match with a powerful forehand winner, energizing the sold-out Stadium One crowd.However, Van De Zandschulp quickly regained control in the decider, breaking Djokovic for a 3-1 lead with a perfectly placed lob.

He sealed the upset when Djokovic sent a shot wide on match point.”I started really well, and then of course Novak came back,” said Van De Zandschulp, who entered the main draw following the withdrawal of world No. 47 Facundo Diaz Acosta. “In the third set, I was happy to find my level again.”The Dutchman had also led Nick Kyrgios by a set and 3-0 in the first round before the Australian retired with wrist pain.Djokovic, 37, came into the tournament following an early exit in Qatar and a hamstring injury that forced him to retire in the Australian Open semifinals.

He insisted his leg was not a factor in Saturday’s defeat.”No excuses for a poor performance,” Djokovic said. “It doesn’t feel great to play like this, but credit to my opponent. Just a bad day at the office.”Djokovic’s loss headlined a day full of surprises, as seventh seed Andrey Rublev fell 6-4, 7-5 to Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi, and 17th-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime lost 6-4, 6-2 to Jenson Brooksby.Meanwhile, world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is absent from the tournament as he serves a doping suspension.