MONACO – The best-ranked Novak Djokovic lost 6-4, 7-5 to Dan Evans in the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday for his first defeat of the year.
The Australian Open champion was 10-0 coming into the match, but faced pressure from the start, while he watched the irreparable British player 3-0 in their first match.
Djokovic resigned five times in windy conditions. Evans, after interrupting with a 6-5 lead, got the victory at his first point of the match with a direct winner who cut the net.
“It probably hasn’t sunk yet, I couldn’t believe the last ball went over the net. It almost didn’t go,” Evans said. “It’s clearly a big win. That’s the biggest thing, you have to think you can win. It’s not easy to serve it, you have all these things in your head.”
Evans will play his first Masters quarterfinal against David Goffin, from the 11th classification, who upset Alexander Zverev from the fifth classification with 6-4, 7-6 (7).
Goffin saved all six break points he faced and once broke the German’s imposing service.
In another game in the third round, Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced 6-3, 6-4 against Cristian Garin, and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina defeated wild wild Lucas Pouille 6-2, 7-6 (2).
Later on Thursday, 11-time champion Rafael Nadal faces Grigor Dimitrov in the 15th match, with Nadal having a 13-1 advantage.