Novak Djokovic next tournament: Everything to know about where the Serb will play after Australian Open SF exit

Novak Djokovic is scheduled to play at the 2024 Indian Wells Masters in March, if the provisional schedule on his official website is to be believed.

Djokovic endured a tough start to his season, seemingly picking up an elbow injury during his campaign for Team Serbia at the United Cup. He then took some time to get in his element at the Australian Open, needing four sets to beat three of his first five opponents.

The 10-time Melbourne champion was eventually bundled out 6-1, 6-2, 6-7(6), 6-3 in the semifinals by fourth-seeded Jannik Sinner. Following his loss, the 36-year-old reportedly flew back to Marbella, Spain, where he and his family have lived since 2020.

Djokovic also missed Serbia's Davis Cup qualifying round match against Slovakia in Kraljevo on Friday (February 2). The 2010 champions are struggling without the 24-time Major winner, as they are trailing their opponents 0-2 in the tie at the moment.

The Serb's extended absence also means that he will not play at the Dubai Tennis Championships later in February. The 36-year-old is a five-time champion in the city, having won the 2009-2011, 2013, and 2020 editions of the ATP 500 tournament. He lost in the semifinals to Daniil Medvedev at last year's event.

---

5-time champion Novak Djokovic to play in Indian Wells for the 1st time since 2019

Novak Djokovic at the 2016 Indian Wells Masters trophy ceremony

Novak Djokovic's next tournament campaign is set to come at the Indian Wells Masters, which kicks off on March 6. The Serb's last appearance at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament came in 2019, where he lost to Germany's Philipp Kohlschreiber in the third round.

The 36-year-old is the joint-record holder with Roger Federer for most titles in Palm Springs, having won five times (2007, 2011, 2014-16). He is also the only player apart from the Swiss maestro to have completed a three-peat at the event.

The Serb will be keen on improving his ATP Masters 1000 record in Indian Wells. Having won 40 Masters-level titles, he can become the only player to own six triumphs in at least three different tournaments. Currently, he has six titles each at Miami and Rome.

The 2024 edition of the Indian Wells Masters promises to be a cracker, with defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and reigning Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner also in the mix. There could be a few more former title winners participating in the event, such as Rafael Nadal (2007, 2009, 2013), Taylor Fritz (2022), Cameron Norrie (2021), and Dominic Thiem (2019).