Novak Djokovic

Men's world No. 1 tennis player Novak Djokovic lost his opening match at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, ranked 46th in ...

World number one Novak Djokovic has suffered consecutive defeats after losing 6-3 6-7 (7-5) 6-1 to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte Carlo Masters on ...

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Novak Djokovic opened his clay-court season with a surprising loss to Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at the Monte Carlo Masters today.

"I knew that it's going to take some time for me to really feel my best on the clay," Djokovic said. Djokovic could not defend his Australian Open title in January after he was deported from the country for not being vaccinated. "He was the better player," Djokovic said. "I just ran out of gas completely ... If you can't stay in the rally, not feeling your legs on the clay, it's mission impossible." But the Serb continued to struggle on his serve and was broken three times in the decider. Djokovic struggled from the start as the 46th-ranked Spaniard broke him early to pull ahead 4-1 before another break handed him the first set.

Novak Djokovic said he “ran out of gas” as he lost his opening match at the Monte Carlo Masters in just his second tournament of the year following his ...

“I expected this match to be a really tough match, a physical battle, and that’s what it was. “That’s historically always been the case. “I was hanging on the ropes the entire match. “Just couldn’t really stay in the rally with him. He failed to do so at the first attempt but recovered in the tiebreak to force a decider. The Spaniard surged 3-0 ahead in the second only for Djokovic to win five of the next six games and serve for the set at 5-4.

At the Monte Carlo Masters, only the second tournament that the top-ranked Djokovic has played in five months, an unseeded 22-year-old handed him an upset.

He spent time in detention as his appeal was adjudicated and was deported on the eve of the Australian Open. After also missing the American tournaments in Indian Wells, Calif., and Miami, he has played just four singles matches in 2022. Ivanisevic was with Djokovic in January in Australia, where he arrived to defend his Australian Open title only to have his visa revoked because of his vaccination status. Eyes wide, Djokovic put a finger to his ear and nodded his head confidently as he stared at the crowd before howling with relief. But Djokovic’s game and attitude were close to unrecognizable down the stretch as he raced through his service games and missed shot after shot. He often plays like a goalkeeper: flinging himself into the air to pursue a wide shot or a serve down the T. Against Djokovic, he was soon covered in red clay, which remains his best surface despite winning the Wimbledon boys title on grass in 2017. The concern for him is why he was so spent. This time, Davidovich did not flinch: finishing off a champion who had beaten him soundly in their two previous matches and who has long been his tennis role model (they practiced together in Spain during the pandemic). Davidovich, 22, looks like a Viking prepared to make mayhem with his head closely shaven on the sides and his fair hair pulled back into a knot. He has won 20 major singles titles, nearly completed the Grand Slam last season and has been the second-best men’s player on clay for the last decade behind Rafael Nadal. Men’s tennis is bristling with depth and young stars on the rise like Davidovich’s 18-year-old compatriot Carlos Alcaraz, who recently won the Miami Open. I was really chasing the result constantly.” Off target from the start, he scrapped valiantly before fading to lose his opening match against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 6-7 (5), 6-1.

Alejandro Davidovich Fokina defeats World No. 1 Novak Djokovic at the 2022 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters.

The Spaniard's return game proved crucial to his victory. I have to be prepared for the war.” “This win is so special for me because I grew up watching Nole and I'm a big fan of his,” said Davidovich Fokina in his on-court interview.