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Reigning champion Draper won 4-6 6-4 7-6 (7-5) in two hours and 35 minutes in what was just Djokovic's second defeat of the year, after his loss to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final.

Djokovic is yet to reach the quarter-finals at Indian Wells since his victory in California back in 2016, though there was very little to separate him and Draper.

In fact, Djokovic won 99 of the 197 points to Draper's 98, while both players also saved three break points.

Despite staying within a chance of victory until the very end, Djokovic could not find much joy in defeat.

"[I have] a bitter feeling right now, losing a match like this," Djokovic said. "But proud of myself for fighting and really giving it all on the court. That's for sure.

"That's the one thing that I'll take as a highlight. Just the fact of not giving up and trying.

"I lost to a great player, and it was really such an even match throughout the entire two-and-a-half hours. But I am just a bit disappointed."

The highlight of the match came at the start of the third set, when Djokovic won a 26-shot rally after being sent back and forth from the net to the baseline by Draper.

However, Djokovic believes the energy he put into winning that point cost him soon after.

"It cost me a break after. It was great winning that point in that game, but I just ran completely out of gas and just started to feel a bit better towards the end of the third," Djokovic said.

"He played a sloppy game to close it out 5-4, and I got the crowd backing me, and I felt the energy.

"It was, like, 'Maybe I'm going to take this one'. It was so close, so close. Just unfortunate; few mistakes from my side."