Cincinnati Open: Many things are not clicking for me, says Djokovic after loss

Serbia's Novak Djokovic during his match against Tommy Robredo on Thursday. Pic/AFP

Cincinnati: Tommy Robredo shocked World No 1 Novak Djokovic on Thursday at the Cincinnati Masters, but Roger Federer avoided an upset again Frenchman Gael Monfils.


Serbia's Novak Djokovic during his match against Tommy Robredo on Thursday. Pic/AFP

Spain's Robredo, seeded 16th in the US Open tune-up, sent top-seeded Djokovic packing 7-6 (8/6), 7-5, the defeat coming a week after the World No 1 Serb was beaten in the third round at Toronto.

The Wimbledon champion now goes into the US Open, the final Grand Slam of the year which starts on August 25, well short of matches and confidence.

Federer books quarter-final clash with Andy Murray
Second-seeded Federer, a five-time Cincinnati champion, held off Monfils 6-4, 4-6, 6-3. He booked a tough quarter-final against eighth-seeded Scot Andy Murray, who battled more than two hours against the huge serve of John Isner, finally dispatching the American 6-7 (3/7), 6-4, 7-6 (7/2).

Federer had a rare show of temper late in the match, arguing with the chair umpire over a decision not to call on electronic line-calling on a particular point.

'It's unfortunate'
Djokovic, who was married last month and is soon to become a father, said it wasn't a question of the new elements in his life weighing on his tennis.

"I just lost the match," he said. "It was bad. Many, many things are not clicking these two weeks on hard courts. It's unfortunate, but it's more than obvious I'm not playing even close to what I'm supposed to play.

"I have to keep on working and trying to get better for the US Open. I just don't feel comfortable. That's it."

Robredo said: "It's amazing to be here playing and to beat the No 1, I'm more than happy," said the 32-year-old Robredo, who next faces sixth-seeded compatriot David Ferrer - a 7-5, 6-0 winner over Mikhail Youzhny.