Novak Djokovic clawed out a 6-4, 1-6, 6-4 victory over the USA's 72nd-ranked Aleksandar Kovacevic on Monday, sending the Serbian legend into the round of 16 at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells for the first time since 2017.

Djokovic, playing in his first tournament since falling to Carlos Alcaraz in the Australian Open final in January, was hit with all he could handle by the 27-year-old New York native, who peppered the 24-time Grand Slam champion with 16 aces.

With five Indian Wells titles to his name, Djokovic is tied for the event record with Swiss great and old rival Roger Federer. But the former World No. 1, who hasn't made it to the quarterfinals in the California desert since his last title run in 2016, needed to come through a pair of three-setters just to get back to the last 16 at this edition.

Djokovic took control with an early break in the opener and made it hold up. But Kovacevic was only warming up. The American held at love in his last two service games of the first set, before rolling through the second against a clearly frustrated Djokovic.

The Serbian regrouped in the third, and despite a tumble in the eighth game, found a way to win. The 38-year-old will face Great Britain's defending champion Jack Draper next, with a place in the round of eight up for grabs.