World No 1 Novak Djokovic’s Novak Djokovic, the current world number 1, has had a challenging start to the season, as he is yet to secure a tournament victory. In the recent Italian Open, the six-time champion suffered a significant defeat at the hands of world No 32 Alejandro Tabilo in Rome. Tabilo capitalized on a series of unforced errors from Djokovic, securing a convincing 6-2 6-3 victory in just 67 minutes.
It’s noteworthy that Djokovic, who was pursuing his 1,100th career win, struggled with 22 unforced errors and served five double faults, failing to create any break point opportunities against his left-handed opponent.
The match’s trajectory was established early on when Djokovic saved three break points in the opening game, displaying his prowess with two aces and a remarkable drop shot from behind the baseline. However, he then faltered with a double fault, allowing Tabilo to secure a break. Tabilo’s confidence continued to grow as he secured a second break for 3-0, ultimately claiming the set with ease after just 31 minutes of play.
As the second set commenced, Djokovic’s unexpected consecutive double faults resulted in another lost serve. Contrary to expectations, the 24-time Grand Slam winner seemed to rush through his service games, while Tabilo maintained a stronghold on his serves. The match concluded with another Djokovic double fault on the first match point, marking a significant career victory for the 29th seed Tabilo.
Djokovic’s performance against Tabilo was especially concerning, as he expressed after the match. Having experienced the effects of being accidentally struck by a bottle in the previous round and expressing that he felt like a different player on the court, Djokovic faces a challenging juncture in his season.
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