"I'm the guy who beat Novak Djokovic" - Luca Nardi on his reputation at Indian Wells following last year's victory over the Serbian
ATP
Luca Nardi may not be one of the most popular tennis players on the ATP Tour, but the Italian enjoys some level of infamy at the Indian Wells tournament, following his victory over former World No.1 Novak Djokovic at last year's event.
The 21-year old scored the biggest win of his career when he defeated the 24-time Grand Slam champion in the third round at last year's edition. Ranked World No.123 at the event, Nardi scored a three-set victory over the Serbian, becoming the lowest-ranked player ever to defeat Djokovic at an ATP Masters or Grand Slam event.
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The Italian is scheduled to compete at this year's edition of the event, where he faces British star Cameron Norrie in the first round. When asked about his mindset heading into the tournament, Nardi responded by revealing his new-found fame following his win over Djokovic at last year's Indian Wells edition.
"As soon as I arrived, I started to feel very good emotions," admitted the World No.67. "It's a very, very nice feeling to come back here. Usually, I'm not Luca Nardi. I'm the guy who beat Novak Djokovic. Maybe they don't know my name, but I'm the guy who beat Djokovic."
Nardi has had positive results during the young 2025 season, reaching the round of 16 at both the ASB Classic and Qatar Open. The 21-year old advanced to the quarterfinals of the recent Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, falling to Frenchman Quentin Halys in three sets.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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