Indian Wells: Jack Draper stuns Novak Djokovic to reach quarter-finals as Sonay Kartal retires against Elena Rybakina

Britain's Jack Draper fought back to stun Novak Djokovic to keep his Indian Wells title defence alive after a thrilling victory.

Draper came through a gripping match lasting more than two-and-a-half hours in a deciding tiebreak to win 4-6 6-4 7-6 7-5) as he beat Djokovic for the first time in his career.

The 24-year-old will face Daniil Medvedev in the last eight on Thursday night, live on Sky Sports Tennis, at midnight before compatriot Cameron Norrie faces Carlos Alcaraz.

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"Just an incredible feeling," said Draper, who only returned to the ATP Tour in late February following eight months out with injury.

"I'm out here against Novak, to me the greatest tennis player there is, and someone I've been admiring and watching since I was a little kid.

"So to do that, I was just incredibly proud of myself. It gives me so much confidence. I still don't feel like I'm playing anywhere near the way I want to play.

"I came out here tonight and I won that match through determination and trying to problem solve and do my best and have a great attitude."

How Draper came back to beat Djokovic

Djokovic took a hard-fought opening set 6-4 but Draper responded by taking a second break point in the opening game of the second.

The Serbian broke back and Draper appeared in trouble in the eighth game when he was pegged back from 40-0 to deuce before eventually holding.

A powerful forehand winner down the line in the next earned Draper three break points at 0-40 and he broke with the first when Djokovic netted. Djokovic refused to roll over and saved two set points before an ace finally drew the left-hander level.

Djokovic began to look exhausted in the decider as a number of gruelling points took their toll, and having held serve in a riveting opening game that featured a 26-shot rally, he found himself 0-30 down in his next service game before Draper took another lengthy exchange to earn two break points.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion regularly leaned on his racquet between points as Draper broke but the Briton was unable to see the contest out as, serving for match, he hit a wild backhand wide, double-faulted and prodded a tame drop shot into net, with a magnificent Djokovic drop shot seeing him take the second break point.

Djokovic sent a backhand long to hand Draper a first match point in the tie-break and netted a backhand to hand the Briton one of the most significant wins of his career.

"I'm a bit overwhelmed. Just to be here at Indian Wells is a blessing after the hell I went through with the arm injury I had," Draper told Sky Sports Tennis.

"I still feel like I'm struggling with the way I want to play. I'm struggling with my confidence in my game. I'm trying to problem-solve and be more aggressive. I was waiting for him to miss a lot of the time.

"I picked it up a bit in the second and third [sets]. I tried to put more pace on the ball and Novak is someone who won't just give it you. I had a lot of will power and determination, so hopefully I can get better from here."

Kartal retires due to back problem against Rybakina

Earlier, Britain's Sonay Kartal finally succumbed to her ongoing back problems as her run at Indian Wells ended against Elena Rybakina in the last 16.

The British No 2 had defied pain in her back to record impressive wins over Emma Navarro and Madison Keys but, despite competing gamely against the world number three, retired while trailing 6-4 4-3.

Kartal was broken in the third game of the match and went two breaks down after a video replay showed her top had made contact with the net at break point in the fifth.

However, Kartal rallied to get a break back despite needing treatment from the physio between games and put the Rybakina serve under pressure before the Kazakhstani held to take the first set.

The second set was going on serve until Kartal stretched for a return while break point down at 3-3 and, in clear discomfort, made her way to the net to shake hands.

"Definitely not the way I wanted to finish the match, of course (I wish her a) speedy recovery," said reigning Australian Open champion Rybakina.

"It's not easy, these kind of injuries. It was a tough match anyway. I'm glad I'm through to the next one."

Watch the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells this week live on Sky Sports with the finals on Sunday. Stream tennis with NOW, contract-free.

(c) Sky Sports 2026: Indian Wells: Jack Draper stuns Novak Djokovic to reach quarter-finals as Sonay Kartal retires against Elena Rybakina