Novak Djokovic poised to break another Roger Federer record at Indian Wells

Story byPhoto by Jim McIsaac/Getty ImagesCameron GreenleesSun, March 1, 2026 at 5:40 PM UTC·2 min readNovak Djokovic got his 2026 ATP Tour campaign off to a flying start. In his first and only tournament appearance so far this year, he went all the way to the Australian Open final. Djokovic knocked out defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals, stopping the Italian from winning a third straight title at Melbourne Park. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn the title match, he fell short against Carlos Alcaraz, who became the youngest player ever to complete a career Grand Slam with that win. Djokovic skipped this year’s Middle East swing but is set to return for Indian Wells. The tournament could be significant, as he has a chance to move past Roger Federer in several all-time categories. Novak Djokovic eyes Roger Federer’s record at Indian WellsPhoto by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty ImagesDjokovic, Alcaraz and Sinner are all scheduled to play the Indian Wells Open in March, marking the first ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the year. Alcaraz will be looking to win a third title there, while Sinner is aiming for his first. The Serb, meanwhile, has his sights set on a record-breaking sixth crown. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementHe currently shares the record with Federer at five titles each, but last won the event in 2016, when he beat Milos Raonic in the final and set the record. The following year saw the Swiss draw level. Since then, though, Djokovic has not made it past the fourth round of the tournament. Recapping Novak Djokovic’s 2025 Indian Wells Open campaignDjokovic had a much busier start to the 2025 season, entering three tournaments before making his way to Indian Wells. He competed in the Brisbane International, Australian Open and Qatar Open before heading to California for his fourth event of the year. But things did not go to plan at Indian Wells.