Lorenzo Musetti caused a major upset in the Monte Carlo Masters as he knocked out world number one, Novak Djokovic, in the last 16 on Thursday.
Djokovic struggled with his serve, getting broken eight times before losing the match in three sets, 4-6, 7-5, 6-4, to the 21st-ranked Italian youngster. Despite leading by a set and a break, Djokovic was unable to maintain the momentum against a resilient Musetti, who fought back in the scrappy second set.
Djokovic, who won the Monte Carlo Masters twice in 2013 and 2015, was understandably disappointed with his performance. “The feeling is terrible after playing like this, honestly. But congrats to him. He stayed tough in important moments, and that’s it,” Djokovic said.
Musetti’s victory was particularly emotional for the Italian player, who struggled to hold back tears after the match, calling the win a “dream” come true. He will now face fellow Italian, Jannik Sinner, in the quarter-finals, while Djokovic, the tournament’s big favourite, goes home early. Despite the loss, Djokovic did not think it was catastrophic but admitted that he was not in the mood to speak further.
The world number one has not gone beyond the last eight in Monte Carlo since 2015, and his early exit from the tournament comes in the absence of Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz.
