By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, April 9, 2025
Photo credit: Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters
Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic enjoys a strong connection with Monte-Carlo fans.
Cheering fans stood with smart phones raised to capture Djokovic’s return to Monte-Carlo today.
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Alejandro Tabilo was in no mood for photo finishes bouncing part-time Monte-Carlo resident Djokovic right out of the draw with a 6-2, 6-4 victory.
Afterward, a disconsolate Djokovic summed up his performance in a word: Horrible.
Djokovic, who battled an eye infection in the Miami Open semifinals and final where he fell to Jakub Mensik, said he felt flat today.
“It was actually more like the worst day,” Djokovic told the media in Monte-Carlo. “Look, I was hoping it was not going to happen, but it was quite a high probability I’m going to play this way.
“I don’t know. Just horrible. Horrible feeling to play this way, and just sorry for all the people that have to witness this.”
Two-time Monte-Carlo champion Djokovic continues his chase for a milestone 100th career title.
Djokovic served sharply in Miami, but today he served just 54 percent, faced eight break points and nearly doubled the Chilean left-hander’s unforced error output—29 to 16—as he struggled to find solutions to Tabilo.
“Well, I expected myself at least to have put a decent performance. Not like this,” Djokovic said. “It was horrible. I did not have high expectations, really.
“I knew I’m gonna have a tough opponent and I knew I’m gonna probably play pretty bad. But this bad, I didn’t expect.”
It is Tabilo’s second clay-court win over Djokovic in as many meetings.
Last May, Tabilo stunned Djokovic 6-2, 6-3 in one of the most surprising setbacks of Djokovic’s Rome career. That was Tabilo’s first career Top 10 win and today he did it again.
Asked his goal for this clay-court season, Djokovic delivered a two-word response: “Roland Garros.”
