Is Djokovic beatable for Jack Draper?

In 2005, “The Djoker” stepped onto a court for the first time at the Masters event in California. This was followed by five titles – the most at this event, alongside Roger Federer. However, his last Indian Wells triumph was a decade ago (2016).

A year ago, the 24-time Grand Slam champion was surprisingly eliminated in the first round by Botic van de Zandschulp. Ironically, it was in this season that his opponent from our Novak Djokovic vs. Jack Draper prediction took off and crowned himself tournament winner.

A few months later, the British number one’s great suffering began. For almost eight months, the three-time ATP title winner struggled with an elbow injury on his serving arm and played only two matches during that period. The number 14 in the ATP world rankings has been back since the beginning of February. Nevertheless, the defending champion is still considered the underdog in the Novak Djokovic vs. Jack Draper odds comparison at the best betting providers.

“Nole” himself is not in the best shape. After his defeat in the final of the 2026 Australian Open, the 38-year-old took a break from tournaments until the BNP Paribas Open. The 101-time ATP title holder’s rustiness was evident in his two previous matches.

Djokovic turned the first match around against Kamil Majchrzak, coming back from a 0-1 set deficit to win (4-6, 6-1, 6-2). The Serb also lacked consistency in the following match against Aleksandar Kovacevic (6-4, 1-6, 6-4) and again had to go the full distance.

Novak Djokovic – Jack Draper Head-to-head record

The two tennis pros have played each other only once in their careers. In 2021, Novak Djokovic lost the first set to the up-and-coming Draper at Wimbledon, but prevailed in the next three sets to advance to the next round.

The fourth-round match in California could have a different outcome. Draper’s game is not yet consistent, but his victory in the last round against Francisco Cerundolo (6-1, 7-5) has given him further confidence after his injury.

Novak Djokovic – Jack Draper Tip

In his duel with Cerundolo, Draper secured his first top 20 victory since last year’s Madrid Open. If he wants to keep his chances of defending his title alive, the first set against Djokovic could be particularly important. The Serb has won 34 of his last 35 matches when he has won the first set.

The only exception to this impressive record was the 2026 Australian Open final against Carlos Alcaraz. Of course, a victory for the Serb cannot be ruled out. His record this year (8-1) and his winning mentality are significant factors.

It remains to be seen how comfortable both players feel with their serving arm. Draper is playing his third consecutive match in the same tournament for the first time since his injury. Djokovic, on the other hand, is currently playing his matches with a sleeve on his serving arm.