Djokovic downs Dimitrov to advance at Indian wells

Novak Djokovic of Serbia shakes hands with Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria after their ATP third round match at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, California, on March 12, 2013. DFjokovic won 7-6 (7/4), 6-1. AFP PHOTO/FREDERIC J. BROWN

INDIAN WELLS, CALIFORNIA – World No. 1 Novak Djokovic survived a rocky start to beat Grigor Dimitrov 7-6 (7/4), 6-1 on Tuesday and reach the fourth round of the Indian Wells ATP Masters.

Djokovic trailed 4-1 in the opening set, but a welter of errors from his 21-year-old Bulgarian opponent was all the opportunity the Serbian star needed and he battled back to win in 67 minutes.

Djokovic improved to 15-0 in 2013 and 20-0 since October 31 — when he lost to American Sam Querrey in the Paris Masters.

He’ll get a chance to avenge that defeat in a fourth-round meeting with Querrey, who edged Australian Marinko Matosevic 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (7/9), 7-5.