'My worst day': Novak Djokovic apologises to fans for 'awful' loss in Monte Carlo
Novak Djokovic's latest bid to win a 100th career title ended in another shock defeat to a familiar face.
Alejandro Tabilo, who handed the 24-time grand slam champion a surprising loss at the Italian Open last year, beat Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters.
Back on clay, Djokovic said afterward he didn't have high expectations.
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"Today has been something like my worst day. I hoped this wouldn't happen, but there was a very high chance I would play like this. I don't know.
"Just awful. Playing like this generates a horrible feeling, I'm sorry for everyone who had to witness this".
Novak Djokovic beaten in Monte Carlo. Getty
"I expected, at least, to deliver a decent performance. Not something like this. It has been terrible.
"I didn't have very high expectations, to be honest: I knew I was going to face a very tough opponent and I knew I would probably play very poorly... but so poorly honestly, I didn't expect it".
Tabilo clinched victory on his second match point when Djokovic returned his strong serve long.
Djokovic had saved one match point in the ninth game when he was trailing 5-3 and 30-40 on his serve, clipping a neat drop shot over the net which his Chilean opponent could not reach.
Djokovic, who recently lost the Miami Open final to Jakub Mensik, turns 38 next month — shortly before the French Open starts on May 25.
Defending French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz earlier started his clay-court season by rallying to a 3-6, 6-0, 6-1 victory over Francisco Cerundolo in the second round.
The second-seeded Alcaraz was coming off a surprising loss to Belgian veteran David Goffin in his first match at the Miami Open.
Another upset seemed possible when Cerundolo, ranked No. 22, took the first set but Alcaraz dominated the rest of the match and converted five of his seven break points across the second and third sets.
Alejandro Tabilo of Chile shakes hands with Djokovic of Serbia at the net after his victory in the Men's Singles Second Round match on day four of the Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters at Monte-Carlo Country Club on April 09, 2025 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco. (Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images) Getty
Alcaraz is seeking a second title of 2025 and to finetune his clay-court game ahead of a bid to retain his title at Roland Garros starting next month.
Elsewhere, Lorenzo Musetti, the 13th seed, beat Jiri Lehecka 1-6, 7-5, 6-2 to set up a last-16 match against fellow Italian Matteo Berrettini, who beat top-seeded Alexander Zverev on Tuesday.
Daniil Medvedev overcame Alexandre Muller 7-6 (6), 5-7, 6-2, and fourth-seeded Casper Ruud beat Roberto Bautista Agut 6-2, 6-1.
Richard Gasquet and Gael Monfils, a pair of 38-year-old Frenchman, were eliminated by Daniel Altmaier and seventh-seeded Andrey Rublev, respectively.
The Monte Carlo Masters is the first big clay-court tournament of the year on the ATP Tour.
