Novak Djokovic hits the Italian slopes as he gears up for a tennis comeback in Indian Wells

24-times Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic is enjoying some skiing in Italy before his return to the Sunshine Double at the BNP Paribas Open Indian Wells. The Serbian maestro decided to take a break from tennis to rest after his semifinal exit at the Australian Open.

The World No. 1 saw his unbeaten streak in Melbourne come to an end after 33 victories and four consecutive titles. Djokovic kept his fans updated on social media, sharing a couple of photos from the Val Garde ski resort in northern Italy. 'Nole was seen sporting a stylish green quilted jacket and gave a shout-out to his racket sponsor, Head, who also manufactures skiing equipment.

"New super G record of the World Cup Ski slope," wrote Djokovic on his Instagram stories.

Djokovic has chosen not to enter tournaments during February and will make his comeback at Indian Wells, scheduled to take place between March 8-19. The 36-year-old player hasn't competed in the US Masters 1000 events since 2019, the year he exited in the third round of the tournament. In 14 appearances, he has secured 5 titles, putting him on par with Roger Federer as the tournament's joint-highest winners.

Following his time in California, Djokovic will participate in the Miami Open, taking place between March 17-31, also marking his return for the first time since 2019. The Serbian maestro is the tournament's most successful player, clinching six titles in 13 appearances, and he aims to further surpass Federer's record with four titles.

'Nole,' renowned for his outstanding performances in the Sunshine Double, secured both titles for three consecutive years (2014-2016). However, in the five editions between both tournaments since then (2017-2019), he hasn't advanced beyond the fourth round.

Djokovic will enter both tournaments as the top seed, where he doesn't have points to defend, presenting a significant opportunity to widen his lead in the rankings over No. 2 Alcaraz, who is defending 1360 points.