Novak Djokovic’s await a one hundredth ATP singles title continues after he exited the Monte Carlo Masters in a “horrible” straight-set opening loss to Alejandro Tabilo.
Djokovic, a two-time winner of the occasion, made 29 unforced errors in comparison with his 18 winners in a subdued begin to the 37-year-old’s clay-court season, leading to a 6-3 6-4 defeat.
The report 24-time males’s main champion had gained the final 10 matches he had contested on clay – together with his run to Olympic gold in July.
However Chilean Tabilo, who beat Djokovic on the floor on the Italian Open 11 months in the past, replicated that shock victory to succeed in the third spherical.
“I anticipated myself no less than to have put in an honest efficiency. Not like this, it was horrible,” Serbia’s Djokovic stated.
“I didn’t have excessive expectations. I knew I will have a troublesome opponent and I knew I will in all probability play fairly unhealthy. However this unhealthy, I did not anticipate.
“I hoped it was not going to occur, however it was fairly a excessive likelihood I will play this manner.
“A horrible feeling to play this manner, simply sorry for all of the folks that must witness this.”
Earlier on Wednesday, Carlos Alcaraz rallied to a comeback victory over Francisco Cerundolo within the 21-year-old’s first clay match of the season.
Spanish world quantity three Alcaraz was unable to match Argentine Cerundolo within the first set however dominated thereafter, profitable 12 of the final 13 video games for a 3-6 6-0 6-1 victory.
Norwegian fourth seed Casper Ruud beat Spain’s Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2 6-1 to succeed in the third spherical, whereas Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev overcame Frenchman Gael Monfils 6-4 7-6 (7-2).
Australian eighth seed Alex de Minaur got here from behind to defeat Czech Tomas Machac, whereas Russian ninth seed Daniil Medvedev beat Alexandre Muller of France, additionally in three units.
Nice Britain’s Jack Draper is again in motion on Thursday, when the Indian Wells champion faces Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina for a quarter-final place.
