NOVAK DJOKOVIC GETS STUNNED BY VESELY, RAFAEL NADAL CRUISES IN MONTE-CARLO OPENER BY RICKY DIMON

Written by: Staff on 13th April 2016

NOVAK DJOKOVIC GETS STUNNED BY VESELY, RAFAEL NADAL CRUISES IN MONTE-CARLO OPENER BY RICKY DIMON

epa05256906 Rafael Nadal of Spain returns the ball to Alijaz Bedene of Great Britain during their second round match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tennis tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, 13 April 2016. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER |

Novak Djokovic is out after just one match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters.

In what has to be considered the most stunning upset of this 2016 season, Jiri Vesely got the best of Djokovic 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 during second-round action on Wednesday afternoon. The 22-year-old pulled off the biggest win of his career after two hours and six minutes.

Vesely made a statement early and often that was not going to be overwhelmed in this one. The 55th-ranked Czech dropped a mere two service points in the entire first set, so one break at 4-4 was more than enough to take the opener.

After Djokovic stormed through the second, Vesely righted the ship. He gave back an immediate break but broke again for 2-1 and this time managed to consolidate it. Djokovic did not go away without a fight, saving a match point while serving at 3-5. He won the first point of the following game, but Vesely ran off four straight points to hold with little trouble and clinch victory.

“I have to congratulate my opponent,” Djokovic commented. “I think he played very solid. He was serving very big. He was playing tactically good and aggressive. On the other hand, for me there were just very few things I could take out from today’s match as a positive. I was playing really, really bad.

“But, you know, nothing taking away from my opponent’s performance. He deserved to win. When he was break up in the third set, he was playing bravely. He was coming in; drop-shots, big serves…. He was going for it. He deserved to have it.”

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Jiri Vesely of Czech Republic during their second round match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tennis tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, 13 April 2016. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

Jiri Vesely of Czech Republic returns the ball to Novak Djokovic of Serbia during their second round match at the Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters tennis tournament in Roquebrune Cap Martin, France, 13 April 2016. EPA/SEBASTIEN NOGIER

What Vesely has is his first-ever win over a top-10 adversary, as he had previously been 0-8 in such situations. For Djokovic, this is his worst loss since 2010, when he fell to world No. 74 Xavier Malisse at Queen’s Club.

Rafael Nadal has endured more than a few bad losses in recent seasons, but he was not about to take another one in his Monte-Carlo opener. The eight-time champion rolled into the third round by beating Aljaz Bedene 6-3, 6-3 in one hour and 19 minutes.

“(It) is obvious that I have been practicing little bit better than what I played today,” Nadal assessed. “But at the same time is true that I have been playing good for moments, some mistakes in other moments. But it’s fine, no? It’s the first match. It’s important to be through.

“(I’m) happy for the victory. I know that I have to improve for tomorrow. But I have confidence because I have been practicing very well these (last few) weeks.”

Bedene took note of his opponent’s struggles on the forehand side, but he also had some praise for Nadal when asked about the Spaniard’s chances for another Roland Garros title. “I think he can do the 10th one, yeah,” Bedene said.

Ricky contributes to 10sballs.com and also maintains his own tennis website, The Grandstand.

Topics: 10sballs.com, Aljaz Bedene, Atp World Tour, Jiri Vesely, Monte-Carlo Rolex Masters, Novak Djokovic, Rafa Nadal, Sports, Tennis

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TomaszLisPiano says:

April 13, 2016 at 11:21 am

RT @RafaelNadalshow: NOVAK DJOKOVIC GETS STUNNED BY VESELY, RAFAEL NADAL CRUISES IN MONTE-CARLO OPENER BY … – 10sBalls https://t.co/vF358…