3 remarkable records held by Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells

Novak Djokovic is one of three players, the others being Roger Federer (50) and Rafael Nadal (51), to have played 50 Masters 1000 finals since the tournament series was first introduced in 1990.

The Serb's tally of 34 Masters 1000 titles is one behind that of all-time title leader Nadal. Since making his breakthrough in this tournament category at the 2007 Miami Masters, Djokovic has made a Masters 1000 final every year except 2010.

The Serb's six titles and eight finals in 2015 are respective records for most Masters 1000 titles and finals. The only player to win four or more titles at six different Masters 1000 tournaments, Djokovic's 355-79 win-loss record in the tournament series is only behind Nadal's tally of 384-79.

As the 2020 Masters 1000 season begins in Indian Wells, let us have a look at 3 records Djokovic possesses at the first Masters 1000 tournament on the tennis calendar:

#1 Most titles at Indian Wells

Djokovic's 5 Indian Wells titles (from left to right).

Since losing to Rafael Nadal in his first Masters 1000 final at 2007 Indian Wells, Djokovic has lifted five titles at the tournament to share the leaderboard with Roger Federer.

Two months after lifting his first Grand Slam title at the 2008 Australian Open, Djokovic celebrated his first Indian Wells title with a straight-sets win over American Mardy Fish.

In 2011, Djokovic breezed through to the semifinals for the loss of just 12 cumulative games before seeing off Federer and Nadal in three sets respectively to become a multiple-time titlist at the tournament.

It would be three more years before the Serb would lift his 3rd Indian Wells title. Dropping a set for the fourth time that week, Djokovic overcame a first-set deficit to beat Federer in a third-set tiebreak. He then beat the same player, again in three sets, in the 2015 final to successfully defend his Indian Wells title for the first time in his career. In the process, Djokovic joined Federer as the only four-time winners at the tournament.

A victory over Milos Raonic in the 2016 final gave Djokovic a record-fifth Indian Wells title before Federer joined him atop the leaderboard a year later following a win over Stan Wawrinka in the 2017 final.

#2 Most consecutive titles at Indian Wells

Djokovic lifted his 3rd consecutive Indian Wells title in 2016

Following wins over Federer in successive Indian Wells finals in 2014-15 respectively, Djokovic lifted his third-consecutive Indian Wells title in 2016. He beat Nadal in the semifinals of that edition before dropping only two games in a lopsided final against Milos Raonic.

The triumph made Djokovic the only player, apart from Federer, to do a 'three-peat' at the desert - a feat he had also achieved previously at the Paris-Bercy Masters (2013-15).

In the process, the then 29-year-old Serb moved to 5-1 in title matches at Indian Wells.

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#3 Most consecutive match wins at Indian Wells

Djokovic's 19-match win streak at Indian Wells was ended by Nick Kyrgios in 2017

Djokovic, in the process of accomplishing his 'three-peat' at Indian Wells, won 17 consecutive matches at the tournament.

By beating Kyle Edmund in the opening round in 2017, the Serb matched Federer's record of most consecutive match wins at the tournament achieved between 2004 and 2006. A win over Juan Martin del Potro in the next round made Djokovic the outright leader in this category as it gave him his 19th consecutive match victory at Indian Wells.

However, a straight-sets defeat to Nick Kyrgios in the fourth round ended Djokovic's streak at the first Masters 1000 tournament of the season.

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