In a surprising turn of events at the Monte-Carlo Masters, Novak Djokovic was defeated in straight sets by Alejandro Tabilo, while Carlos Alcaraz overcame a first-set challenge to continue his progress in the tournament.
Tabilo of Chile delivered a stunning 6-3, 6-4 victory against Djokovic on the clay court.
Despite Djokovic achieving an early break against Tabilo in the opening game, Tabilo quickly retaliated. He secured three break points in the subsequent game, capitalizing on the third to level the score.
Tabilo further asserted his dominance by breaking Djokovic`s serve for a second time in the sixth game, gaining firm control of the set. Djokovic`s game was plagued by errors, allowing Tabilo to maintain his composure and win the first set.
Djokovic attempted to rally in the second set but missed opportunities to break back. Tabilo then secured a crucial break and successfully served out the set and the match.
Djokovic Expresses Disappointment
“It was terrible,” Djokovic admitted, apologizing for his performance. “I anticipated a much better showing, certainly not this poor. It was really bad.”
“I knew facing a tough opponent and potentially not playing my best, but I didn`t foresee this level of poor performance.”
“It`s an awful feeling to perform like this, and I apologize to everyone who had to witness it.”
In his post-match interview on court, Tabilo commented, “I just focused on replicating what worked well for me previously [against him]. Fortunately, my serve was effective today, which was a significant advantage. It was an incredible match for me.”
Next, Tabilo is set to compete against 15th seed Grigor Dimitrov, who rallied from a set down against wildcard Valentin Vacherot, ultimately winning 4-6, 6-3, 6-1.
Alcaraz Advances After Initial Scare
Carlos Alcaraz faced Francisco Cerundolo, who claimed the first set. However, the Wimbledon champion demonstrated resilience, winning the following two sets decisively with scores of 3-6, 6-0, 6-1.
“My start wasn`t ideal. I aimed to establish a solid base early in the match, but I committed numerous errors. I believe I allowed him to dictate play from inside the court, putting me on the defensive,” Alcaraz explained afterwards.
After losing the first set, Alcaraz took control. He prevented Cerundolo from winning any games in the second set by adjusting his tactics and continued his momentum into the third set.
Alcaraz stated, “After the first set, I realized I needed to change something. I had to adopt a more aggressive approach and play my own style of tennis.”
“I enjoy playing aggressively, using drop shots, and approaching the net. I think I executed it quite effectively. The most crucial adjustment was my return game. I focused on returning closer to the baseline, forcing him to defend on his first shot, which allowed me to control the rallies.”
“I believe I performed quite well overall.”
Alcaraz is scheduled to play against Daniel Altmaier in the next round.
