Novak Djokovic faced an unexpected early exit from the Indian Wells Masters this month, losing his opening match to Dutch player Botic van de Zandschulp. This tournament has been a stronghold for him, having won it five times before. As a result, Djokovic's record for the year now stands at 7-4, marking his third straight defeat. It's worth noting that he hasn't lost three matches in a row since battling injuries back in 2018.

His slow start to the season, which included a retirement in the Australian Open semifinals after a victory over Carlos Alcaraz, has sparked discussions about whether age is finally catching up with the 37-year-old.

On the Tennis Channel, former WTA player CoCo Vandeweghe raised concerns about Djokovic's mindset. She questioned, "Is Novak Djokovic becoming too accustomed to losing? It’s unusual for a player to experience several losses in a row, and then see him smiling a bit too much in press conferences makes you wonder if he’s not as mentally tough as he used to be."

Before heading to Indian Wells, Djokovic also faced an early defeat in the first round of the Qatar Open against the powerful Matteo Berrettini, marking the first time Berrettini has triumphed over the legendary Serb in their five encounters.

Nonetheless, former British number one Andrew Castle believes Djokovic is focusing on preparing for the major tournaments, particularly the grand slams.

Castle shared with Globusbet that one of the key questions Djokovic needs to consider is how to best prepare for the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. He pointed out that Djokovic is up against tough competition from players like Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who have managed to defeat him multiple times in the past year, disrupting his recent reign over the ATP tour.

Castle remarked, “This shows that Djokovic believes there’s still room for improvement, and it’s clear to everyone that there are now three or four players who can potentially take him down. It’s fascinating to see how he reacts to this challenge.”

In a bid to enhance his performance in the later stages of his career, Djokovic has enlisted the help of his former rival Andy Murray as his coach. However, Castle cautioned Djokovic about the importance of staying match-ready and refining his skills for those crucial matches. “You need to compete, so does Novak still have that drive? There are a few questions to consider.”

Now, Djokovic is setting his sights on the Miami Masters, which kicks off this week—a tournament he has impressively won seven times. He will start this year’s event with a match against Australian player Rinky Hijikata.

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