Musetti stuns Djokovic in Monte Carlo

Djokovic, a two-time winner in the Principality in 2013 and 2015, was broken eight times before going down 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to the 21st-ranked Musetti on a wet and chilly day on the Cote d’Azur

Lorenzo Musetti

Novak Djokovic was knocked out in the Last 16 of the Monte Carlo Masters by Lorenzo Musetti (below) in three sets on Thursday after the World No. 1 struggled badly on serve. Djokovic, a two-time winner in the Principality in 2013 and 2015, was broken eight times before going down 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 to the 21st-ranked Musetti on a wet and chilly day on the Cote d’Azur. “[The] feeling is terrible after playing like this, honestly. But congrats to him. He stayed tough in important moments, and that’s it,” said Djokovic.

Musetti advances to a quarter-final meeting with compatriot Jannik Sinner, who saved a match point before beating Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz 3-6, 7-6 (8/6), 6-1. Stefanos Tsitsipas’s bid for a third consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title was ended after straight-sets 6-2, 6-4 loss to American Taylor Fritz in the quarters.

Also read: World No. 1 Novak Djokovic aims for better start at clay-court

Nadal withdraws from ATP Barcelona event

Rafael Nadal’s preparation for a tilt at a record-extending 15th French Open title suffered a further blow when he announced Friday his withdrawal from the ATP Barcelona tournament. The 36-year-old Spaniard said he had still not recovered full fitness from the hip flexor injury he sustained in the Australian Open in January and which saw him miss this week’s Monte Carlo Open. “I am still not ready and so I continue my preparation process for the return to competition,” he tweeted.

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