Tennis

Djokovic suffers shock defeat at Monte Carlo

 

Lorenzo Musetti caused a major upset at the Monte Carlo Masters by defeating world number one Novak Djokovic in a closely fought three-set match. Djokovic, a 22-time Grand Slam champion, won the first set but eventually lost 4-6 7-5 6-4 in a match interrupted by a one-hour rain delay. 

The win on Thursday marked the biggest win of Musetti’s career, and he will face fellow Italian Jannik Sinner in the quarter-finals.

After the match, Musetti was visibly emotional, saying, “I am struggling not to cry because it is a dream for me. It is an emotional win because it was a really long match.” The 16th seed expressed his pride in himself and his accomplishment.

Djokovic, on the other hand, acknowledged his loss but did not feel it was “catastrophic.” “I don’t think it’s catastrophic, but my feeling is bad right now because I lost the match,” Djokovic said. However, he admitted that he felt terrible after exiting the tournament. “Well, [my] feeling is terrible after playing like this, honestly,” he added. “But congrats to him. He stayed tough in important moments, and that’s it. That’s all I can say.”

Playing his first tournament since Dubai in early March, Djokovic saw his serve broken eight times by world number 21 Musetti during the two-hour and 54-minute match. He had lost serve just 17 times in his 17 previous matches this year, and the loss will likely come as a disappointment to the Serbian player.

Despite his defeat, Djokovic acknowledged Musetti’s impressive performance and mental toughness during the match. “He stayed tough in important moments, and that’s it. That’s all I can say,” Djokovic said.

Musetti’s victory over Djokovic sets up an all-Italian quarter-final clash with Jannik Sinner, who also caused an upset by coming back from a set and match point down to beat Hubert Hurkacz. Sinner’s remarkable comeback shows that he, too, possesses the mental fortitude needed to win against top-ranked players, setting up an exciting match with Musetti.

Leon Osamor 

About the Author


Written by DafaNews

DafaNews brings you the most highlighted news in the world of Sports. It serves you up-to-date matches, scores, live streams, fantasy games and quizzes. Our news covers prestigious leagues and events – Premier League, Champions League, World Cup and many more.

Related Post
Share
Published by
DafaNews

Recent Posts

Cavaliers Secure 11th Straight Victory in Epic Battle Against Thunder

The Cleveland Cavaliers continued their historic march through the NBA season with a hard-fought 129-122… Read More

January 9, 2025

Lucas Bergvall’s Late Strike Seals Tottenham Win Over Liverpool in League Cup Semifinal

Lucas Bergvall etched his name into Tottenham Hotspur’s history by scoring his first goal for… Read More

January 9, 2025

Murray trains with Djokovic ahead of Australian Open

Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are making headlines as they train together ahead of the… Read More

January 9, 2025

West Ham United to appoint Graham Potter as new manager after sacking Julen Lopetegui

West Ham United are set to announce the appointment of Graham Potter as their new… Read More

January 9, 2025

Real Madrid face Mallorca in Spanish Super Cup quarterfinals

Real Madrid's 2025 campaign got off to a dramatic start, as they edged Valencia 2-1… Read More

January 9, 2025

Barca through to finals after solid display in 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao

Barcelona secured safe passage to the finals of the 2025 Spanish Super Cup thanks to… Read More

January 9, 2025