Novak Djokovic crashed out of the Monte Carlo Masters in his opening match of the clay-court season as Alejandro Tabilo made it successive wins against the 24-time grand slam champion.
Djokovic had won 10 consecutive matches on clay stretching back to last season’s French Open and Olympics, where the Serbian won gold at Roland Garros, but he fell to a 6-3 6-4 defeat.
Chilean left-hander Tabilo, ranked 32 in the world, also defeated the 37-year-old Djokovic on clay at last year’s Italian Open in Rome and has now won both meetings against the former World No 1.
Tabilo had struggled this season, winning just two matches prior to Monte Carlo, but defeated former French Open winner Stanislas Wawrinka in the first round to set up a clash with Djokovic.
And the 27-year-old became just the third player in history to face Djokovic at least twice and not lose to him, joining Marat Safin and Jiri Vesely, as he converted his second match point to win in straight sets.
Djokovic was out of sorts and struggled badly on his forehand side, making 29 unforced errors in total. He had two break point opportunities to get back on serve late in the second set but could not take them.
Concerningly for Djokovic, he has now lost in his opening match three times at the last four tournaments, following early exits against Matteo Berrettini in Doha in February and Botic van de Zandschulp at Indian Wells in March.
Djokovic reached the final of the Miami Masters last month, showing better form, but was beaten by teenager Jakub Mensik 7-6 7-6 to deny him his 100th career singles title.
The Monte Carlo Masters is one of three of the highest-ranked ATP tournaments before the second grand slam of the season at Roland Garros, along with the Madrid Open and Italian Open.
Earlier in the Monte Carlo, there were victories for seeds Carlos Alcaraz, Casper Ruud, Andrey Rublev, Alex de Minaur and Arthur Fils.
Britain’s Jack Draper, who is seeded fifth, faces Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the last-16 on Thursday.
