Djokovic crashes out as Alcaraz, Sabalenka sail through at Indian Wells

Italian Arnaldi sprung another upset, beating seventh seed Andrey Rublev 6-4, 7-5. Djokovic and Rublev followed top seed Alexander Zverev and fourth seed Casper Ruud as second-round casualties

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Five-time champion Novak Djokovic tumbled out of the Indian Wells ATP Masters on Saturday, falling in his first match to lucky loser Botic van de Zandschulp as two-time defending champ Carlos Alcaraz advanced.

"No excuses for a poor performance," 24-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic said after 37 unforced errors in a 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 defeat.

"It doesn’t feel great when you play this way on the court," he added. "But congratulations to my opponent — just a bad day in the office, I guess, for me.”

Djokovic is just the latest in van de Zandschulp’s string of superstar victims.

He stunned Alcaraz at the US Open last year before beating Rafael Nadal in the Davis Cup in what proved the Spanish great's last match.

"I think I kept my cool during the whole match," said van de Zandschulp. "I know if I go into the match and lose my cool, especially against the big players, it's going to be a really tough day. That's always one thing I'm trying to do well.”