Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic Exchange Name Ideas of their Indian Wells Doubles Pairing

Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas crashed out in the second round of the Indian Wells doubles.

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic Exchange Name Ideas of their Indian Wells Doubles Pairing

Stefanos Tsitsipas and Novak Djokovic (via X/ESPN)

In Short
  • Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas teamed up for men's doubles at the Indian Wells Masters, winning their first match against the reigning champions.
  • Their partnership ended in the second round after losing to Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot.
  • Djokovic and Tsitsipas playfully exchanged name ideas for their doubles team, settling on "Stefanole."

Novak Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas teamed up for the men’s doubles competition at the Indian Wells Masters. They both earned a wildcard for the feature at the event after Tsitsipas revealed the idea to Djokovic just days before the tournament kicked off in the California desert in America.

Djokovic and Tsitsipas kicked off their partnership at the ATP Masters tournament in the first round, stunning reigning champions Marcelo Arevalo and Mate Pavic 6-3, 6-2. Arevalo and Pavic were trapped in Dubai due to the turmoil in the Middle East region, but found an escape route, arriving at the tournament on kick-off day.

However, Djokovic and Tsitsipas’ runs at the tournament came to an injury the second round when they faced Arthur Rinderknech and Valentin Vacherot. The Frenchman and the Monaco star battled hard to get past Djokovic and Tsitsipas 7-6(4), 7-5 just days after beating Daniil Medvedev and Learner Tien.

Nonetheless, Tsitsipas became the first player in history to partner with Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Djokovic in doubles competitions. He partnered with Federer and Nadal at the 2019 Laver Cup for Team Europe. Both matches ended in defeat for the Greek star, which leaves his partnership with Djokovic the best, having won one match.

After winning the defending doubles champion in Indian Wells, Djokovic and Tsitsipas were asked the best name to give their partnership on the court. Djokovic first revealed that he would like it to be “Tsitsole“, while Tsitsipas suggested fans help come up with an idea before saying “Djokopas“. Djokovic was not well pleased with the name, so he said “Stefanole“, which both players agreed with.

Tsitsipas has crashed out of the singles of the Indian Wells Masters after losing to Denis Shapovalov. It is his second consecutive loss of the season, having fallen to Ugo Humbert in the first round of the Dubai Tennis Championships, a tournament he was meant to defend. The former World No.3 is currently ranked No.43 and might drop further after Indian Wells.

Meanwhile, Djokovic is having a great run at Indian Wells for the first time in two years. He had not gone past the third round of the tournament since 2024, but broke the jinx after beating American star Aleksandar Kovacevic to reach the fourth round of the tournament. He will be aiming to claim his first title of the season in California.

Jack Draper relishing encounter with Novak Djokovic at the Indian Wells Masters

Jack Draper faces a huge test at the Indian Wells Open as he faces Novak Djokovic in the fourth round. The defending champion needs to beat the former World No.1 to keep his hopes alive of winning the tournament for the second time. He defeated Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo 6-1, 7-5 to seal his place in the round of 16.

Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper (via X/Tien Tempo Tenis)
Novak Djokovic and Jack Draper (via X/Tien Tempo Tenis)

Djokovic wasn’t at his best in his third-round match against Aleksandar Kovacevic, but the 24-time Grand Slam champion cannot be underestimated at any time. He proved that at the Australian Open in January, where he defeated Jannik Sinner in five sets. Draper revealed during an interview with Sky Sports that he’s relishing the chance to take on the 38-year-old:

I have been watching him since I was young. He’s obviously, I think, the greatest tennis player of all time. His mentality and just his level of tennis is always incredibly high. I’m going to have to play really well and take my chances but, more than anything, (I’m) just very grateful to not only be out here but to be having the opportunity to play against these guys and keep on improving my level and giving myself another chance to compete on the stages I want to be at.

Djokovic leads their head-to-head record 1-0 on tour, having met at the 2021 Wimbledon Championships. Draper is playing in just his second tournament since returning from bone bruising and a shoulder injury. He’s yet to reach his best level, which might give Djokovic a chance when they clash.

Also Read: Novak Djokovic Gives Shocking Cold Handshake After Controversial Hindrance Call at Indian Wells