ATP Masters Monte Carlo: Novak Djokovic - "Probably one of the worst matches in recent years"
Novak Djokovic was eliminated in the round of 16 at the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Monte Carlo. After the defeat by Dan Evans , the world number one spoke of one of his "probably worst matches in recent years".
by Nikolaus Fink
last edit: Apr 15, 2021, 06:57 pm
Novak Djokovic fans will remember: When the Serb met Gilles Simon in the round of 16 of the Australian Open five years ago, the Serb made no less than 100 unforced mistakes. This did not have any lasting effects, however, as the man from Belgrade not only won the five-set win against the French, but also won the title a few days later.
Djokovic will definitely not succeed in a similar feat in Monte Carlo. Although the world number one produced "only" 45 avoidable mistakes in the 4-6 and 5-7 defeat against Dan Evans, this number should still be enough to help the Briton achieve the greatest triumph of his career.
Djokovic not worried
The 33-year-old was accordingly annoyed after his first bankruptcy in the current calendar year: "To be honest, it was probably one of the worst matches I can remember from my side in recent years." He just didn't feel well and had the ball badly on the racket.
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"I don't want to take anything away from his win, but I generally felt terrible on the court. Nothing worked. It's one of those days," continued Djokovic. The windy conditions would also have made life difficult for him, said the Serb, who does not want to be deterred by the surprising defeat: "The clay court season is long. There are still a few tournaments and a lot of room for improvement."
Djokovic impressed by Evans
But Djokovic, who will make his next appearance in his home tournament in Belgrade next week, was also impressed by his opponent's game: "He deserved the win. He was the better player. I think he was more focused and played with higher quality in the crucial moments. "
Evans himself immediately focused on the quarter-final game against David Goffin after the "best win" of his career: "He's a great fighter and won't give me much." Therefore, the Briton wants to increasingly advance to the network against the Belgian. So Evans should succeed in the next surprise after the sensation against Djokovic on Friday.
Here the single tableau in Monte Carlo
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