END OF AN AURA?

Djok bounced back from Wimbledon defeat but writing on the wall now

-  NEIL MCLEMAN

WHEN Novak Djokovic lost in the Wimbledon final to Carlos Alcaraz last year, the tennis world declared a generational changing of the guard.

The Serbian superstar responded by winning his next four events, including the US Open, to finish the year as No.1 for a record eighth time.

The same end-of-an era claim was made after his 33-match unbeaten run at the Australian Open was ended by Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals. But since then the male GOAT has skipped Dubai and has now lost to Italian lucky loser Luca Nardi in his second match at Indian Wells.

This was certainly a generation game for 20-year-old Nardi, who still has a poster of his idol Djokovic on his bedroom wall. "This is a miracle," he said. "One hundred in the world and beating Novak.