Novak Djokovic endured a shock loss to Czech Jiri Vesely losing in three sets 6-4 2-6 6-4 in Monte Carlo. The top seed was expected to win the title but bows out for his first loss since retiring against Feliciano Lopez in Dubai and marks his first loss in a full match since November last year against Roger Federer.
The match started with both players holding serve comfortably up until 4-4 where Djokovic was broken to 30 giving Vesely to serve out what was to be a surprise set 6-4. The second set started much like the first with both players holding serve with relative ease before Djokovic broke before holding to take a 5-2 lead. Vesely was unable to hold serve, handing Djokovic the set 6-2 and had many thinking that the world number one was on his way into the next round.
Not so routine for Djokovic
However Vesely, the world number 55 had other ideas breaking in the very first set of the final set before handing the break straight back. With Djokovic serving at 1-1, the Serb struggled yet again handing the initiative to Vesely as the Czech broke to 40 to take another lead. Both players would then go onto hold serve with Djokovic fending off a match point in the penultimate game putting the impetus on Vesely to serve out the match. The 22-year-old did this in style, holding to 15 to give himself the biggest win of his career.
First top 10 win
Having never beaten a top 10 player going into this match, very few gave Vesely a chance and saw the match as a routine win for Djokovic. In what is one of the biggest shocks of the last few years on the men’s tour.
Vesely moves into the next round where he will face the winner of Gael Monfils and Paolo Lorenzi.