By Richard Pagliaro |
@Tennis_Now |
Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Photo credit: Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters
The Grand Slam legend Novak Djokovic has quite the rapport with fans in Monte-Carlo.
Fans assembled with their smartphones aglow, eager to document Djokovic’s much-anticipated return to Monte-Carlo today.
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Alejandro Tabilo had no intention of a dramatic finish; he delivered a decisive exit for the part-time Monte-Carlo resident Djokovic with a straight-sets triumph, 6-2, 6-4.
After the defeat, a visibly disappointed Djokovic described his performance in one blunt word: Horrible.
Having struggled with an eye infection during the Miami Open’s semifinals and finals where he fell to Jakub Mensik, he admitted to feeling lackluster today.
“It was really more like the worst day,” Djokovic expressed to the media in Monte-Carlo. “I had hoped this wouldn’t happen, but given the circumstances, it had a high likelihood of occurring.”
“Honestly, it felt horrible playing like this, and I’m genuinely sorry for the fans who had to witness it.”
As a two-time champion of Monte-Carlo, Djokovic is still on the hunt for an incredible 100th career title.
Although he served well in Miami, today saw him hitting only 54 percent of his serves and encountering eight break points. He also racked up nearly double the unforced errors compared to the Chilean left-hander, with a tally of 29 to 16, leaving him at a loss for how to counter Tabilo’s game.
“I expected at least to perform decently. But not like this,” Djokovic remarked. “It was atrocious. My expectations weren’t particularly high, but I didn’t foresee such a humiliating performance.”
This marks Tabilo’s second victory over Djokovic on clay in their two encounters.
Last May, Tabilo created shockwaves by defeating Djokovic 6-2, 6-3, in what was heralded as one of the biggest upsets of Djokovic’s career in Rome. That match marked Tabilo’s first Top 10 victory, and he has replicated the success today.
When asked about his aspirations for the ongoing clay-court season, Djokovic simply replied: “Roland Garros.”
