Novak Djokovic was stunned 7-6(4) 6-2 by Matteo Berrettini in the Qatar Open first round on Tuesday as the Italian enjoyed his first win over the former world number one.
Berrettini played superbly to knock out the twice champion in one hour 35 minutes and secure his first victory against a top-10 opponent since January 2023.
“It’s something that I’ve been looking to do,” said former world number six Berrettini, who had lost all four of his previous matches against the Serbian.
“I played against him in the most important tournaments on tour, had the honour and the pleasure to play against him. I wish I could have won one of those matches as well.”
World number 35 Berrettini, voted the ATP’s comeback player last year, faces Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor in the next round.
Djokovic, a 24-times Grand Slam winner who was aiming for a 100th ATP title, was playing his first singles match since retiring from the Australian Open semi-finals due to a hamstring injury.
The 37-year-old, who last week said he was “almost fully recovered”, had not lost a first-round match since his 2022 Monte Carlo Masters defeat by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina.
“I didn’t have any pain or discomfort in that sense. I was outplayed by just a better player today,” said Djokovic.
“I wasn’t at my desired level, and it could be that I’m still not moving the way I want to move but I played without pain so there is no excuse in that.
“Things are not the same as 10, 15 years ago. I still try to take care of my body on a daily basis and it’s more challenging now, no doubt. I still try to do my very best, given the circumstances.”
Djokovic will now turn his attention to the doubles event, pairing up with Spaniard Fernando Verdasco against Finn Harri Heliovaara and Britain’s Henry Pattem in the quarter-finals.
— Reuters
