Kovacevic impresses Djokovic in Indian Wells: 'He's a great ball-striking player'

That breakthrough hinted at the level Kovacevic believes he can reach more regularly. He has been working closely with veteran coach David Witt after a trial in the offseason to see if he can close the gap that separates Top 100 players from those higher up the rankings.

“The biggest change I'm trying to make for this year is being more consistent,” the 72nd-ranked Kovacevic said on Monday.

If results have lacked steadiness at times, Kovacevic—one of the increasingly rare pro players with one-handed backhands—has produced solid individual performances.

His tussle with Djokovic suggested the pieces are increasingly in place.

The American fired 16 aces to Djokovic’s six, and kept the Serb from generating many opportunities on return for long stretches.

“I don't recall really facing someone who is not that tall… to be able to serve that well and hit his spots in the box,” Djokovic said after the match. “It just was really incredible.

“He was just acing me all over, getting a lot of free points,” Djokovic added.

His next stop is the Miami Masters on cement, though Kovacevic said his attention will quickly shift to the clay-court season—a stretch he believes improvement could unlock another step in his development.

The American acknowledged that the surface has not produced his best results in recent years, but he views the upcoming clay swing as an opportunity rather than a burden.

“Last three years that I played on clay, I haven't done so well,” he admits.

With more experience on tour and a more complete game, he feels better equipped to handle the longer rallies and tactical demands that clay often requires.

But reaching the third round in the desert, and pushing a player of Djokovic’s stature to the limit, offered another sign that Kovacevic’s steady climb is continuing.

The next step, he believes, is turning weeks like this into something that happens more often.