Novak Djokovic of Serbia leaves the court after losing to Taro Daniel of Japan during the BNP Paribas Open at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden on in Indian Wells, California. Pic/AFP

Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel sent five-time tournament champion Novak Djokovic tumbling out of the Indian Wells Masters with a hard-fought 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-1 victory on Sunday. It was another snag in the return for the 30-year-old Djokovic who admitted he was out of sorts while playing in just his second event of 2018. He is making a cautious return to the ATP Tour after stopping his 2017 season following Wimbledon, due to a right elbow injury. "For me it felt like first match I ever played on the tour. Very weird," Djokovic said.