UNKNOWN Luca Nardi caused the upset of the season to topple Novak Djokovic – whose picture he has on his bedroom door!
The young Italian was only in the main draw of the Indian Wells Open as a lucky loser having already been beaten by David Goffin in the second stage of qualifying.
APNardi shocked Djokovic to beat him in the third round of the Indian Wells Open[/caption]
Yet thanks to the performance of his life, he shocked the world No.1 and 24-time Grand Slam champion 6-4 3-6 6-3 in the third round in California.
It was an incredible result for the world No.123 as he became the lowest-ranked player to beat the Serbian in an ATP Masters 1000 event.
Nardi grew up in Pesaro, on the eastern coast of Italy, idolising Djokovic and still has a poster of his hero back home.
The 20-year-old – who hit 34 winners and converted match point with an ace – said: “I do, yes. Every night I go to bed, I see Novak. I think starting from now, I’ll keep going now, for sure.
“Yes I have it and I think that I will keep it.
“It’s an amazing feeling. I couldn’t even imagine to play a match against him and now I also beat him. So, it’s such a dream come true for me.”
Nardi, who now faces American Tommy Paul in the last 16, has never played in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament.
The Napoli fan has a big passion for motorcycling and says his dream job outside tennis is to become a physiotherapist.
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He added: “After the match, my coaches told me, Luca, everyone was cheering for you.
“It’s incredible. Against Djokovic, he’s the best player ever. I think that I will keep it, this moment for me, for the rest of my life.
“I think it is a miracle, because I am a 20-year-old guy, and beating Novak.”
Djokovic’s previous defeat had been in the Australian Open final in Melbourne, ironically against another Italian in the shape of Jannik Sinner.
The tennis icon felt Nardi should have been pulled up for hindrance by the umpire after he stopped playing before then delivering a cross-court winner to claim game three in the second set.
The 36-year-old, who now heads to the Miami Open, said: “I watched him play. I didn’t know much about him. I knew he possesses great quality tennis from the baseline.
“He got in as a Lucky Loser to main draw, so he really didn’t have anything to lose. He played great.
“He deserved to win. I was more surprised with my level. My level was really, really bad.
“These two things come together. He’s having a great day. I’m having a really bad day. Results as a negative outcome for me.
“I really wanted to do well. But it wasn’t meant to be. We move on. Credit to him for pulling it off.”