Novak Djokovic’s season didn’t get off to a fantastic start, especially considering the high bar he has set for himself in recent years. The Serbian tennis star has only played in two tournaments during the hard court swing, and he also faced an initial round defeat at the Indian Wells Masters. Reflecting on his campaign in California, the ‘Djoker’ recently opened up about how it lackluster it was.

In an interview with the Tennis Channel, the current number one player was asked about the highlight of his return to California as he participated in the BNP Paribas Open. Djokovic, who tasted a round of 32 defeat at the hands of his unseeded opponent Luca Nardi, answered by saying, “Everything but the tennis was the highlight, unfortunately. Wasn’t part of the plan but look, I did have a fun time in California.”

Even though he had an unsatisfactory campaign at the Indian Wells Masters, the Serb opened up about how he still enjoyed his trip to the “Sunshine State.” He said, “I missed it, you know, it’s been five years that I played last in Indian Wells or visited L.A. or any place in California. It’s called the Sunshine State for a reason, you know, it’s great, it’s great.”  As he was there in California, the 36-year-old player also got to meet some of the basketball greats, whom he hailed during the conversation.

Novak Djokovic talks about meeting the likes of Stephen Curry and LeBron James

The Serbian tennis star, who stayed in Southern California after his defeat at the Indian Wells Masters, got to catch up with Stephen Curry and LeBron James as he witnessed the Golden State Warriors’ clash against the Los Angeles Lakers. Notably, in the same interview, Djokovic said, “A lot of respect for, you know, basketball greats, Curry, LeBron, you know, all the guys, everyone I got a chance to interact with. It was a really wonderful time, I love NBA, I love basketball, huge basketball fan, I got to do that, I got to do some business conferences, you know, different things.”

He added, “Yeah, haven’t spent much time in Indian Wells, got an early exit but I also loved my experience in Indian Wells, obviously connecting with people again after many years. And I’m really looking forward to come back, hopefully, next year could be better on the tennis court.”

What do you think of the Serbian tennis star’s visit to California this season? Let us know in the comments section.

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