Djokovic sinks before Davidovich in Monte Carlo

The return to the slopes of number one Novak Djokovic had a brief, ephemeral step, Monte Carlowhere he fell to the first exchange, in the second round, surpassed by the Spanish Alexander Davidovich who took advantage of the Serb’s doubts and inactivity to obtain a memorable victory (6-3, 6-7(5) and 6-1).

The Serbian had not played since he fell in February, in the tournament of dubaibefore the Czech Jiri Vesely in the quarterfinals. That was the only event in which she had been able to participate until then. Where the covid vaccine that was required in the Australian Open and also on the American tour, at the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells and Miami.

has a free pass Djokovic now in the gravel stage that opens in Montecarlo and that he does not want to waste. Madrid and, above all, Roland Garros, on the horizon, to feel like a player again and reframe his name on the circuit that he dominates.

“This victory is very special for me. I am a great admirer of Novak, I grew up watching him play, now beating him in Monte Carlo being the No. 1 in the world and in a packed stadium, I couldn’t be happier,” said the tennis player from Malaga.

A lot has happened on tour with the Serbian out cold. New winners, the loss for twenty-one days of the number one that temporarily tied the Russian Daniel Medvedev and that later he lost or the irruption of the young man Carlos Alcaraz, with whom he could have met in quarters.

But his passage was ephemeral for the Monte Carlo Country Club, where the Balkan has trained for a decade. The winner of twenty majors was unable to extend his course in his second tournament of the season. only twice before Djokovic he was removed from this competition in his first game. It was in his first participation, in 2006, before Roger Federer, and a decade later, in 2016, before Vesely.

The Spaniard had before him an unbeatable opportunity to obtain his most important victory so far. He had before him a rival lacking games, without filming, and mentally affected. Psychologically touched by everything lived so far in 2022.

did not miss it Davidovich who gained confidence in every point he played and won. And that he didn’t falter when Djokovic He reacted and equalized the game. The Spanish pulled maturity and kept the type until his rival was exhausted. It will not be easy for the number one in the world to take flight and recover his level. Especially if he doesn’t accumulate games, minutes on the pitch.

Excessively erratic, the tennis player from Belgrade who won twice in Monte Carlo (2013 and 2015), ran into a grown opponent willing to embrace his opportunity who played with impudence and without complexes.

There were few times that Djokovic He pulled the repertoire and showed blows and execution of master in a match that was presented to him crooked and without any ease at the beginning. He did not find the Serb the pitch and lost serve from him twice in the opening stages of the first set.

Davidovich, clearly surpassed by the Serbian last year, in the appointments of Rome and in the Tokyo Olympicsthe two times that they previously coincided, they stood with a 4-1 in favor that put them in front of the conquest of the first set that they won 6-3.

The panorama of the Serbian did not improve later. Head down, conditioned by his unforced errors and by his irregularity in the game. The Spaniard broke from the start and took a 3-0 lead after winning a game that lasted a quarter of an hour with his serve. It was key. The Andalusian resisted, getting closer to victory.

Djokovic He did not decline and resisted losing the fourth game he played so far this season. He got 3-2 and the service on his side, but he lost it. He suffered the number one in the world with the variants of Davidovich who began to abuse the left ones. A solution first and a habit later that he no longer bothered the Balkan already fully involved in the duel.

The Spaniard, quarterfinalist last year, surpassed by the Greek champion Stefanos Tsitsipas, leveled down. She felt the effort. She requested medical attention for discomfort in the wrist. Still he reached the second set tiebreak and was two points away from closing out a win. He slipped out of her hands.

Djokovic closed the second set and celebrated it as a triumph. Exit. He survived, he stayed in the game. But Davidovich also. She was up to his big occasion and didn’t give in.

The Andalusian who came out graceful from each setback resumed his pulse. He stopped his rival, increasingly tired. It was there where the lack of games was noticed. He didn’t shake his pulse Davidovich who saw his adversary touched and did not forgive him. He was before his great occasion. He sealed his great success after nearly three hours of play.

Alexander Davidovich He is already in the eighths. Djokovic said goodbye and the Spaniard extended his stay. In the round of 16 he will play against the winner of the match between the Belgian David Goffinwho beat the Czech Jiri Lehecka by 6-4 and 6-3, and the British Daniel Evans.