Novak Djokovic’s second-round defeat at the Monte Carlo Masters came as a huge shock to many tennis fans. He was defeated by Alejandro Tabilo, 6-3, 6-4. This loss marked the end of Djokovic’s extraordinary ten-match unbeaten stretch on clay. That was particularly gut-wrenching, too, as it was his first match on the surface since winning gold on it at the 2024 Paris Olympics a month prior.
Djokovic’s woes were present all evening long, as he made an astounding 29 unforced errors to just 18 winners. It was not just his form in general as his timing and execution seemed off, missing the rhythm and precision fans have expected from the past world No. Looking back on his performance, Djokovic called it “the most horrible” of his career.
I would have expected myself at a minimum to have delivered a pretty good performance. Not like this,” he said.
The defeat is notable for Tabilo, who sits at a career-high of world No. 32. This victory was Tabilo’s second career win over Djokovic, the first of which ended in straight sets. Their last meeting was at the Italian Open in May 2024, which Tabilo won.
“It’s been a tough year, so a little bit of the nerves were there, but I just tried to remember what I did well against him last time,” Tabilo remarked after the match.
Leading into his match with Djokovic, Tabilo was having a rough go. He had a 2-9 record in 2025 coming into the match and was on an eight match losing streak on clay. His brilliant victory over Djokovic not just turned around his entire season but showed his emerging performance against the best of the best.
Djokovic acknowledged his lack of preparation and desire to perform well, stating, “I was hoping it was not going to happen, but it was quite a high probability I’m going to play this way. I don’t know. Just horrible. A horrible feeling to play this way.”
Djokovic’s latest humiliation came last week as he lost to unseeded teenager Jakub Menšík in the final of the Miami Open. This surprising loss adds a wrinkle to his pursuit of a 100th career title. Djokovic, still trying to find his form, was clearly frustrated with how he’s playing.
I don’t know. I don’t have it. So, I do have it and I don’t have it. I don’t really care,” he added.
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