Dusan Lajovic defeated Emil Ruusuvuori 7–5, 6–2 at the Indian Wells Masters on hard court in the first round on 6 March 2024, an upset victory over the pre-match favourite. Ruusuvuori entered as the betting favourite at 1.50 odds, while Lajovic was positioned as the underdog at 2.76, yet the Serbian player delivered a commanding performance to advance. Lajovic's control in both sets, particularly his dominance in the second, proved decisive against an opponent expected to prevail. The result marks a significant scalp for Lajovic in the early stages of the tournament and suggests strong form heading into the next round.