Italy’s Matteo Berettin serves against Serbia’s Novak Djokovic. AFP
Doha, Qatar: Novak Djokovic’s return to Qatar ExxonMobil Open didn’t go as planned as the Serbian superstar crashed out in the second round following a shocking defeat to Matteo Berrettini yesterday.
At the Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex, World No. 35 Berrettini handed him a 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 loss, further delaying World No.7 Djokovic’s bid for 100th ATP Tour level title.
Coming off a first round exit from ATP Rotterdam earlier this month, Berrettini was handed a nightmare draw, but the Italian faced the challenge well.
“I have played against him in the most important tournaments on tour. I had the honour and the pleasure of playing against him. I wish I could have won one of those matches as well, but you know, I worked really hard,” Barrettini said after his first win against the former World No.1 following failed attempts at the Wimbledon final and the Roland Garros quarter-finals in 2021.
“And to be back here, to be back at this level, I knew my level was high. I just needed matches and matches like this. All the hard work that I’ve been putting in the last months, in the last days, they worked pretty well today. So I’m really happy with my performance. I’m really happy because I enjoyed my time out there, which is the most important thing,” the former World No.6 said after defeating his first Top 10 opponent since 2023.
Berrettini won 85 per cent (40/47) of points behind his first delivery en route to his win which was completed in 95 minutes.
“What’s it like, those last few points, when you know it’s possible, but you know also everything can still change? Yeah, you never know, especially with a champion like Novak. He’s always ready to come back and you could see the first match point, what happened. In tennis, it’s like that. So I had to stay focused to keep playing the way that I was playing, aggressive,” Barrettini said after the win.
Djokovic was playing his first match since exiting his Australian Open semi-final in January due to an injury, but was aiming to take a victorious start to his bid for a third title in Qatar.
Despite the disappointing start, Djokovic made no excuses.
“I didn’t have any pain or discomfort in that sense. I was outplayed by just a better player today,” he said.
“Yes, I wasn’t at my desired level, and it could be that I’m still not moving the way I want to move, but, I mean, I played without pain, so there is no excuse in that,” Djokovic said.
“He was just the better player. I think he played a master class match, to be honest, tactically, and served very well, so just a very deserved win from his side,” he said.
Djokovic, who now has a 7-3 record this year, said he is trying to improve his game.
“I am trying to improve my game, as everybody else. But my game is not going to change now drastically. I’m not going to play serve and volley, maybe every once in a while, but my game is what it is, the core is going to be the same. I’m going to try to adjust depending on the surface that I play on and so forth,” the 37-year-old said.
“There are more injuries. Things are not the same as 10 years ago, 15 years ago. I still try to take care of my body on a daily basis, and it’s more challenging now, no doubt. I still try to do my very best, given the circumstances.”
While Djokovic heads to ATP Masters 1000 event in Indian Wells, where he has won the title five times before, Barrettini will meet Tallon Griekspoor, who earlier defeated Germany’s Jan-Lennard Struff 7–6(7–5), 7–6(9–7).
In other highlight of the day, World No.6 Daniil Medvedev defeated compatriot Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, in a battle between two Qatar ExxonMobil Open champions.
Medvedev won the title in 2023, while Khachanov emerged victorious in last year’s tournament.
"He's defending champion, but I won it two years ago and didn't come back, so kind of the battle of defending champions," the former World No.1 Medvedev said in his post-match remarks .
"Tough match, tough start. I think he was playing better than me until one point in the match. Then it was kind of even, and I managed to win the second set. And then third set I played better. Happy that I managed to improve my level during the match, and I think third set was really great for me, so looking forward for next matches," Medvedev said.
About Qatar ExxonMobil Open being upgraded to ATP 500 status, Medvedev said he noticed the improvements.
"I played it only once as a 250 and, honestly speaking, it was already great. So, I think, you know, when you have a Masters 1000 the draw is bigger, more players, sometimes it's a combined, then it's probably a lot like to do and to think about it. When it's 250 or 500, there are, for sure, like small improvements, but in general, you know, it was already great tournament. It was, I think, many times elected as the best 250. When you're elected as the best 250 you can be 500 in terms of organization and everything.
Another former champion Andrey Rublev, the fifth seed, also advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over Alexander Bublik.
Qatar ExxonMobil Open
Results: Singles – Round of 32
Alex de Minaur (AUS) bt Roman Safiullin (RUS) 6–1, 7–5
Daniil Medvedev (RUS) bt Karen Khachanov (RUS) 4–6, 7–5, 6–3
Matteo Berrettini (ITA) bt Novak Djokovic (SRB) 7–6(7–4), 6–2
Botic van de Zandschulp (NED) bt Abedallah Shelbayh (JOR) 7–5, 6–3
Andrey Rublev (RUS) bt Alexander Bublik (KAZ) 6–3, 6–4
Felix Auger-Aliassime (CAN) bt Quentin Halys (FRA) 4–6, 6–4, 7–6(7–2)
Luca Nardi (ITA) bt Zhizhen Zhang (CHN) 6–4, 6–3
Zizou Bergs (BEL) bt Roberto Bautista Agut (ESP) 6–4, 7–6(7–4)
Nuno Borges (POR) bt Otto Virtanen (FIN) 7–6(8–6), 6–3
Tallon Griekspoor (NED) bt Jan-Lennard Struff (GER) 7–6(7–5), 7–6(9–7)
