Novak Djokovic’s journey at the 2025 Monte Carlo Masters came to a sudden end as he was defeated in straight sets by Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in the second round. The 24-time Grand Slam champion, who was eyeing his 100th ATP title, fell short with a 6-3 6-4 loss, marking a disappointing start to his clay season. Djokovic has not lifted a title since claiming Olympic gold in Paris last year.
Struggling with an eye infection that had already impacted his performance during the Miami semi-finals in March, the 37-year-old admitted that he had entered the tournament with tempered expectations. Despite his best efforts, his performance lacked the sharpness expected from the world-class Serbian player, allowing Tabilo to secure a second career win over him on clay, having previously beaten him at the Rome Masters last year. This puts Tabilo at a rare 2-0 head-to-head advantage over Djokovic.
Currently ranked 32 in the world, Tabilo now advances to the round of 16, where he awaits the winner of the match between Valentin Vacherot of Monaco and Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov.
Meanwhile, Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz recorded his first-ever victory at the Monte Carlo Masters after overcoming a shaky start against Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo. The 21-year-old second seed dropped the opening set 3-6 but rebounded in dominant fashion, clinching the next two sets 6-0 6-1 in just under one hour and 40 minutes.
Alcaraz, ranked number three globally, admitted to a slow start but credited his tactical adjustments—particularly returning closer to the baseline and playing more aggressively—for the turnaround. He will now face German Daniel Altmaier in the last 16. Altmaier advanced after a hard-fought win over veteran Frenchman Richard Gasquet in three sets.
Gasquet, who is playing his final Monte Carlo Masters before retiring post the French Open, was warmly applauded by fans. At 38, he reflected on his career, noting the generational span of his matches—from starting with Andre Agassi to now competing with Alcaraz.
As the tournament progresses, eyes will remain on young stars like Alcaraz, especially after Djokovic’s early departure reshuffled the competition dynamics on clay.
