Novak Djokovic has had better days at the office, and will undoubtedly have more in the very near future. Thursday at the Qatar ExxonMobil Open was not one of them.
Djokovic was stunned in the singles quarterfinals by Ivo Karlovic 6-7(2), 7-6(6), 6-4 then lost his doubles semifinal with Filip Krajinovic to Rafael Nadal and Juan Monaco 7-6(3), 6-1.
Karlovic did not face a single break point in the entire match. The 6’11” Croat wasted one set point on his own serve at 6-5 in the second-set tiebreaker but recovered to win the next two points. The final turning point came with Djokovic serving at 3-3 in the third, when Karlovic produced an incredible forehand pass for the decisive break.
“It was unbelievable,” the No. 7 seed assured in his on-court interview. “When I arrived here, I didn’t expect that one. [Djokovic] wasn’t able to show his full range because it was windy. I just focused on my game and in the end I was a little luckier.”
Djokovic found no luck in doubles, either. The Serbian duo made the first set competitive, but after dropping the tiebreaker it was one-way traffic for Nadal and Monaco. The victors will face Julian Knowle and Philipp Oswald in an all-unseeded final on Friday.
“I don’t feel better because Djokovic lost,” Nadal, who fell in his singles opener to Michael Berrer, said of the world No. 1’s surprise result against Karlovic. “In the first tournament of year this can happen. Karlovic was good.”
Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.
Topics: Atp, Doha, Ivo Karlovic, Novak Djokovic, Qatar ExxonMobil Open, Rafa, Ricky Dimon, Sports, Tennis
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RT @10sBalls_com: -@DjokerNole LOSES TWICE IN ONE DAY, IN PART BECAUSE OF @RafaelNadal BY @Dimonator http://t.co/6tF87mwOK7 #Doha #tennis #…
RT @10sBalls_com: -@DjokerNole LOSES TWICE IN ONE DAY, IN PART BECAUSE OF @RafaelNadal BY @Dimonator http://t.co/6tF87mwOK7 #Doha #tennis #…