Shock Exit: Novak Djokovic falls to Matteo Berrettini in Qatar Open first round
ATP
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.
| Djokovic | VS | Berrettini |
|---|---|---|
| Service | ||
| 9 | Aces | 13 |
| 1 | Double Faults | 1 |
| 69% (45/65) | 1st Service Percentage | 75% (47/63) |
| 84% (38/45) | 1st Service Points Won | 85% (40/47) |
| 30% (6/20) | 2nd Service Points Won | 50% (8/16) |
| 67% (4/6) | Break Points Saved | 100% (3/3) |
| 80% (8/10) | Service Games | 100% (10/10) |
| Return | ||
| 15% (7/47) | 1st Return Points Won | 16% (7/45) |
| 50% (8/16) | 2nd Return Points Won | 70% (14/20) |
| - | Break Points Saved | - |
| Other | ||
| 1h 35m | Match Duration | 1h 35m |
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