Shock Exit: Novak Djokovic falls to Matteo Berrettini in Qatar Open first round

Matteo Berrettini knocked out Novak Djokovic in the first round of the Qatar Open 7-6, 6-2. The 24-time Grand Slam champion was making his comeback from an injury suffered in the semifinals of the Australian Open a few weeks ago that was expected to keep him out for a long period of time.

The Serb had a generally good post-injury performance, although he missed several chances to take the first set. Djokovic had a great performance with his first serve, although it was not enough against the Italian who was simply unbeatable from his serve.

It was a brutal draw for the former World No. 1, facing an opponent who, at his best, performs at a top-10 level. Both players held serve comfortably early on, but midway through the first set, the tension rose. Each player saved three break points to keep things level at 3-3, but Djokovic failed to capitalise on his opportunities to break.

The set went to a tiebreak, where Berrettini struck first, racing to a 3-0 lead. Although Djokovic managed to recover a mini-break, he immediately faltered again, allowing Berrettini to close out the set on his own serve, 7-6(4). The Italian fired 13 aces and won 85% of his first-serve points, compared to 9 aces and 83% first-serve effectiveness for Djokovic.

The second set saw Berrettini take full control early on. He broke Djokovic in the opening game and quickly surged to a 3-0 lead, dominating on serve. Djokovic had no answers, as Berrettini looked particularly inspired on the day. With the score at 5-2, the Italian sealed the win with another break, securing a statement victory and eliminating Djokovic in straight sets, 7-6, 6-2.