Where does Luca Nardi’s shock win over Novak Djokovic rank among the biggest Masters upsets?

James Richardson 12 Mar 2024 10:02 AM

Luca Nardi of Italy shakes hands at the net after his three set victory against Novak Djokovic.

Luca Nardi secured the biggest win of his career when he upset Novak Djokovic at the Indian Wells Masters but is that the biggest upset we have seen at this level?

Here we zero in on the biggest upsets by ranking when it comes to a world No 1 losing at a Masters event.

6. No 101 Richard Gasquet defeats Roger Federer in Monte Carlo 2005

Roger Federer carried a 25-match winning streak into his quarter-final meeting with 18-year-old Frenchman Richard Gasquet but ended up being handed his first big upset loss as world No 1.

The No 101 saved three match points on his way to a 6-7, 6-2, 7-6 win that really launched his career.

The Frenchman would go on to peak as the world No 7 and win 16 career titles to date. Still playing at 37, Gasquet last won a title at the Auckland Open in 2023.

5. No 114 Nicholas Pereira defeats Thomas Muster in Miami 1996

Unfortunately for Nicolás Pereira, he doesn’t have too many other career highlights to go along with what might have been a breakthrough win over world No 1 Thomas Muster in Miami.

Miami seems to be the worst place to play when you’re world No 1 with three of the top six upsets of rankings kings coming in the second leg of the Sunshine Double.

Pereira, then world no 114, would reach a career-high ranking of No 72 later that same year off the back of his second and final career ATP Tour singles title at Newport.

4. No 123 Luca Nardi defeats Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells 2024

Luca Nardi, the world No 123 heading into the first ATP 1000 event of the season, is the only man on this list who has it in his power to avoid the curse of beating a No 1 at a Masters event with every other player ranked outside the top 100 who has beaten a top-ranked player losing their very next match.

Nardi’s best ranking to date was when he was No 106 In February but it is reasonable to predict that he will break the top 100 at least in the future.

Djokovic has had his injury woes this season and misses out on a possible record-breaking title at Indian Wells.

3. No 129 Vasek Pospisil defeats Andy Murray at Indian Wells 2017

The draw had seemingly opened up to give Andy Murray clear passage to his first Indian Wells final in 2017 but Canadian qualifier Vasek Pospisil had other ideas.

Pospisil, then world No 129, held his nerve in a match where he really wasn’t under any pressure having reached the main draw through qualifying.

This defeat was the first for a top seed at Indian Wells in an opening match since 2007.

2. No 175 Thanasi Kokkinakis defeats Roger Federer in Miami 2018

Roger Federer’s loss to No 175 Thanasi Kokkinakis in Miami in 2018 confirmed that he would lose his spot atop the elite men’s rankings.

Kokkinakis came through qualifying and handed Federer what was his second straight loss.

Federer had won a Slam in January but his decision to skip the clay season soon after this loss seemed to kick off his gradual decline away from the Major winners scene.

1. No 178 Francisco Clavet defeats Lleyton Hewitt in Miami 2003

It should be noted that Lleyton Hewitt was suffering the effects of a stomach bug when he lost to a player 177 places below him on the rankings.

The veteran Spaniard was over ten years removed from his career-best No 18 ranking held back in July 1992.

However, Clavet achieved several notable singles wins in his career including triumphs over John McEnroe, Mats Wilander, Andre Agassi, and Roger Federer.