Djokovic was an overwhelming favorite against the world’s No. 32 Alejandro Tabilo in their Round of 32 matchup, but the Serbian ended up suffering a shocking defeat in straight sets (6-2, 6-3). It wasn’t just that Djokovic lost, he was also greatly outplayed.

Speaking with reporters after the match, Djokovic said that he was still feeling the consequences of an incident that happened a few days ago. After winning his first-round match against Corentin Moutet, Djokovic was hit in the head with a water bottle after signing autographs.

According to Djokovic, the incident caused him to feel nausea and headaches. 

“The way I felt on the court today was just completely from — it’s like a different player entered in my shoes. No rhythm, no tempo, no balance whatsoever on any shot. So, it’s a bit concerning,” said Djokovic.

Djokovic will now hope he can recover and return to form before the 2024 French Open, where he is looking to win his 25th Grand Slam and break the all-time record held by Margaret Court. The Serbian is yet to win a tournament in 2024.

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This was not only the biggest win for Nardi in his career but also a historic one. He became the lowest-ranked tennis player to beat Djokovic at Grand Slams or ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. That honor previously belonged to Kevin Anderson, who beat Djokovic at the 2008 Miami Open as the world’s No. 122.

What makes Nardi’s win even more special is that he almost didn’t make the tournament. Nardi failed to make it through qualifiers but ended up getting in the main draw as a “lucky loser.” He received an invite as the replacement for injured Tomas Martin Etcheverry. 

“This is a miracle,” Nardi said after the match. “I’m a 20-year-old guy, 100 in the world, and beating Novak. So, crazy. Crazy.”

For Luca Nardi, reaching the fourth round of the 2024 BNP Paribas Open is his biggest career success. It is the furthest he advanced at the ATP Tour Masters 1000, besting his second-round appearance at Monte Carlo last year. Nardi is yet to make his first Grand Slam appearance.

Djokovic, on the other hand, ends his Indian Wells appearance a lot earlier than expected. He won the tournament five times and was playing there for the first time since 2019.

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“I learned a lot from that,” Sinner said after the match, speaking about his loss to Djokovic at Wimbledon last year. “It gives you a better feeling when you know that you can beat one player. The confidence from the end of last year has for sure kept the belief.”

Sinner will meet third seed Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final. Appearing to be on the verge of elimination after going two sets down, Medvedev held on during his semifinal clash with Alexander Zverev to win 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3 after four hours and 18 minutes. In the women’s singles draw, second seed Aryna Sabalenka will face 12th-seeded QinwenZheng in Saturday’s final.

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“I had time from the last match against De Minaur in the United Cup to my first match here to recover,” Djokovic declared. “I’ve been training well. Practice sessions are pain-free so far. It’s all looking good. Let’s see how it goes.”

Djokovic won last year’s Australian Open while harboring a hamstring injury, while also emerging triumphant in the 2021 edition of the tournament despite an abdominal injury. He did not compete in the 2022 Australian Open due to being deported from the country after refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

The post Djokovic Dismissed Wrist Concerns Ahead of Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This was the first win at Flushing Meadows for Djokovic since 2018 and fourth US Open title in his career. He also made the tournament’s finals six more times.

Medvedev was expected to present a tough challenge for Djokovic, considering how he easily dealt with the world’s No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals. The 27-year-old player also managed to beat Djokovic at the same stage in 2021 in a convincing fashion.

However, Djokovic made a strong start, rushing to a 3-0 lead in the first set and not allowing Medvedev to get comfortable. Medvedev managed to take the 36-year-old Serbian to a tie-break in the second set but didn’t have enough resolve to avoid a 0-2 hole.

In the third set, Djokovic sensed that Medvedev was at the ropes and proceeded to find another gear that allowed him to put an end to any comeback attempts.

“I never imagined that I would be here standing with you talking about 24 Slams. I never thought that would be the reality,” said Djokovic after the match. “But the last couple of years, I felt I have a chance, I have a shot for history, and why not grab it if it’s presented?”

The post Novak Djokovic Beats Daniil Medvedev in Straight Sets to Capture 2023 US Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This was Djokovic’s third Roland Garros trophy, having previously won the tournament in 2016 and 2021.

Djokovic seemed shaky at the start of the match, dropping the first three games. However, once he found his footing, there was no stopping the 36-year-old Serbian.

Djokovic won the first set in a 7-6 (1) tiebreak before easily dispatching Rudd in the next two sets (6-3 and 7-5) and making history.

“I knew that going into the tournament, going into the match, especially, today, that there is history on the line, but I try to focus my attention and my thoughts into preparing for this match in the best way possible to win, like any other match,” Djokovic said after the match. “Of course, I would lie if I say that I didn’t think about the finish line that is right there and that one more match is needed to win a trophy — a historic one.”

However, Djokovic’s pursuit of history is not over yet. He will next try to become the first man to win all four Grand Slams in a single year since Rod Laver did it back in 1969. Djokovic was close to matching Laver during the 2021 season but surprisingly lost to Daniil Medvedev in the US Open finals after previously winning the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.

The post Novak Djokovic Wins 2023 French Open, Gets a Record 23rd Grand Slam appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“I’m struggling not to cry. It was a really long match, not easy conditions. It was a bit windy, cold,” Musetti said after his first-ever win against the Serbian. “I’m really proud of myself. The rallies were long. It was a tough, physical battle. Beating Novak is something remarkable for me.”

The match was halted due to rain in the third set with the score tied at one game each. Once play resumed, Musetti broke away, grabbing a 4-3 lead before serving out the victory, winning on his fourth match point.

Djokovic was visibly frustrated throughout the match, eventually stomping on and destroying his racket during the second set after losing his service game. Musetti’s unexpected drop shots and deep groundstrokes proved too much for Djokovic to deal with, particularly given the windy weather conditions.

The post Underdog Musetti Shocks Djokovic at Monte Carlo Masters appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Alcaraz slipped to No. 2 back in January after missing the 2023 Australian Open due to a hamstring injury. He was surpassed by Novak Djokovic after the Serbian won the first Grand Slam tournament of the season.

“It means a lot to me. To recover to No.1 is crazy for me,” said Alcaraz shortly after lifting the Indian Wells trophy.

Besides Alcaraz reclaiming his top spot, the ATP rankings saw several other big movements. The most notable one was that Rafael Nadal was knocked out of the top 10 for the first time since 2005. Nadal is currently dealing with a knee injury and hasn’t played since Australian Open. He is now ranked at No. 13.

The biggest mover at the top was Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who jumped from to No. 6. American Taylor Fritz, on the other hand, had the biggest fall, going from No. 5 to No. 10. Fritz entered Indian Wells as the reigning champion but ended up being eliminated in the quarter-finals this year.

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“We tried to get Novak Djokovic to be allowed to get an exemption, but that wasn’t able to happen,” Blake announced to Tennis Channel. “Obviously, we’re one of the premier tournaments in the world. We’d like to have the best players that can play. We did all that we could. We tried to talk to the government, but that’s out of our hands.”

This decision will see Djokovic miss the upcoming Masters’ tournament in Indian Wells, California as well due to being denied entry to the country. Currently, the U.S. bars entry from unvaccinated foreigners to the country as part of its COVID-19 emergency declarations. This policy is expected to be lifted on May 11, however, meaning that Djokovic may be able to re-enter the United States in time for this year’s U.S. Open Grand Slam.

The post Djokovic Barred From Miami Open Following Denial Of Vaccine Exemption appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Following Friday’s victory, Medvedev will look to extend his own winning streak of 13 games; the second-longest of his career. A former ATP world number one, Medvedev has gotten his year off to a flying start, winning tournaments in Doha and Rotterdam.

Competing in only his third tournament of the year, Djokovic was looking to continue his winning ways after lifting the 2023 Australian Open trophy, which saw him equal Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 career Grand Slam titles.

Prior to his loss to Medvedev, the Serbian’s last loss came in November last year, when he fell to Holger Rune in the Paris Masters final.

In the other semi-final, Rublev won 6-3, 7-6 (9) against Alexander Zverev. “Today, when I was going on court, I was thinking I have nothing to lose. He always beat me, so why I need to be tight,” Rublev remarked after his victory.

Medvedev and Rublev will meet in the Dubai Tennis Championships final on Saturday.

The post Djokovic’s 20-Game Winning Streak Ended By Medvedev appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Djokovic was an overwhelming favorite against the world’s No. 32 Alejandro Tabilo in their Round of 32 matchup, but the Serbian ended up suffering a shocking defeat in straight sets (6-2, 6-3). It wasn’t just that Djokovic lost, he was also greatly outplayed.

Speaking with reporters after the match, Djokovic said that he was still feeling the consequences of an incident that happened a few days ago. After winning his first-round match against Corentin Moutet, Djokovic was hit in the head with a water bottle after signing autographs.

According to Djokovic, the incident caused him to feel nausea and headaches. 

“The way I felt on the court today was just completely from — it’s like a different player entered in my shoes. No rhythm, no tempo, no balance whatsoever on any shot. So, it’s a bit concerning,” said Djokovic.

Djokovic will now hope he can recover and return to form before the 2024 French Open, where he is looking to win his 25th Grand Slam and break the all-time record held by Margaret Court. The Serbian is yet to win a tournament in 2024.

The post Novak Djokovic Eliminated at Italian Open By World’s No. 32 Alejandro Tabilo appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This was not only the biggest win for Nardi in his career but also a historic one. He became the lowest-ranked tennis player to beat Djokovic at Grand Slams or ATP Masters 1000 tournaments. That honor previously belonged to Kevin Anderson, who beat Djokovic at the 2008 Miami Open as the world’s No. 122.

What makes Nardi’s win even more special is that he almost didn’t make the tournament. Nardi failed to make it through qualifiers but ended up getting in the main draw as a “lucky loser.” He received an invite as the replacement for injured Tomas Martin Etcheverry. 

“This is a miracle,” Nardi said after the match. “I’m a 20-year-old guy, 100 in the world, and beating Novak. So, crazy. Crazy.”

For Luca Nardi, reaching the fourth round of the 2024 BNP Paribas Open is his biggest career success. It is the furthest he advanced at the ATP Tour Masters 1000, besting his second-round appearance at Monte Carlo last year. Nardi is yet to make his first Grand Slam appearance.

Djokovic, on the other hand, ends his Indian Wells appearance a lot earlier than expected. He won the tournament five times and was playing there for the first time since 2019.

The post Luca Nardi, World’s No. 123, Stuns Novak Djokovic at Indian Wells appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“I learned a lot from that,” Sinner said after the match, speaking about his loss to Djokovic at Wimbledon last year. “It gives you a better feeling when you know that you can beat one player. The confidence from the end of last year has for sure kept the belief.”

Sinner will meet third seed Daniil Medvedev in Sunday’s final. Appearing to be on the verge of elimination after going two sets down, Medvedev held on during his semifinal clash with Alexander Zverev to win 5-7, 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (5), 6-3 after four hours and 18 minutes. In the women’s singles draw, second seed Aryna Sabalenka will face 12th-seeded QinwenZheng in Saturday’s final.

The post Sinner Defeats Djokovic to Set Up Australian Open Final With Medvedev appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“I had time from the last match against De Minaur in the United Cup to my first match here to recover,” Djokovic declared. “I’ve been training well. Practice sessions are pain-free so far. It’s all looking good. Let’s see how it goes.”

Djokovic won last year’s Australian Open while harboring a hamstring injury, while also emerging triumphant in the 2021 edition of the tournament despite an abdominal injury. He did not compete in the 2022 Australian Open due to being deported from the country after refusing to receive a COVID-19 vaccination.

The post Djokovic Dismissed Wrist Concerns Ahead of Australian Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This was the first win at Flushing Meadows for Djokovic since 2018 and fourth US Open title in his career. He also made the tournament’s finals six more times.

Medvedev was expected to present a tough challenge for Djokovic, considering how he easily dealt with the world’s No.1 Carlos Alcaraz in the semi-finals. The 27-year-old player also managed to beat Djokovic at the same stage in 2021 in a convincing fashion.

However, Djokovic made a strong start, rushing to a 3-0 lead in the first set and not allowing Medvedev to get comfortable. Medvedev managed to take the 36-year-old Serbian to a tie-break in the second set but didn’t have enough resolve to avoid a 0-2 hole.

In the third set, Djokovic sensed that Medvedev was at the ropes and proceeded to find another gear that allowed him to put an end to any comeback attempts.

“I never imagined that I would be here standing with you talking about 24 Slams. I never thought that would be the reality,” said Djokovic after the match. “But the last couple of years, I felt I have a chance, I have a shot for history, and why not grab it if it’s presented?”

The post Novak Djokovic Beats Daniil Medvedev in Straight Sets to Capture 2023 US Open appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

This was Djokovic’s third Roland Garros trophy, having previously won the tournament in 2016 and 2021.

Djokovic seemed shaky at the start of the match, dropping the first three games. However, once he found his footing, there was no stopping the 36-year-old Serbian.

Djokovic won the first set in a 7-6 (1) tiebreak before easily dispatching Rudd in the next two sets (6-3 and 7-5) and making history.

“I knew that going into the tournament, going into the match, especially, today, that there is history on the line, but I try to focus my attention and my thoughts into preparing for this match in the best way possible to win, like any other match,” Djokovic said after the match. “Of course, I would lie if I say that I didn’t think about the finish line that is right there and that one more match is needed to win a trophy — a historic one.”

However, Djokovic’s pursuit of history is not over yet. He will next try to become the first man to win all four Grand Slams in a single year since Rod Laver did it back in 1969. Djokovic was close to matching Laver during the 2021 season but surprisingly lost to Daniil Medvedev in the US Open finals after previously winning the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.

The post Novak Djokovic Wins 2023 French Open, Gets a Record 23rd Grand Slam appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“I’m struggling not to cry. It was a really long match, not easy conditions. It was a bit windy, cold,” Musetti said after his first-ever win against the Serbian. “I’m really proud of myself. The rallies were long. It was a tough, physical battle. Beating Novak is something remarkable for me.”

The match was halted due to rain in the third set with the score tied at one game each. Once play resumed, Musetti broke away, grabbing a 4-3 lead before serving out the victory, winning on his fourth match point.

Djokovic was visibly frustrated throughout the match, eventually stomping on and destroying his racket during the second set after losing his service game. Musetti’s unexpected drop shots and deep groundstrokes proved too much for Djokovic to deal with, particularly given the windy weather conditions.

The post Underdog Musetti Shocks Djokovic at Monte Carlo Masters appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Alcaraz slipped to No. 2 back in January after missing the 2023 Australian Open due to a hamstring injury. He was surpassed by Novak Djokovic after the Serbian won the first Grand Slam tournament of the season.

“It means a lot to me. To recover to No.1 is crazy for me,” said Alcaraz shortly after lifting the Indian Wells trophy.

Besides Alcaraz reclaiming his top spot, the ATP rankings saw several other big movements. The most notable one was that Rafael Nadal was knocked out of the top 10 for the first time since 2005. Nadal is currently dealing with a knee injury and hasn’t played since Australian Open. He is now ranked at No. 13.

The biggest mover at the top was Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime, who jumped from to No. 6. American Taylor Fritz, on the other hand, had the biggest fall, going from No. 5 to No. 10. Fritz entered Indian Wells as the reigning champion but ended up being eliminated in the quarter-finals this year.

The post Carlos Alcaraz Returns to the Top of ATP Rankings After Indian Wells Win appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

“We tried to get Novak Djokovic to be allowed to get an exemption, but that wasn’t able to happen,” Blake announced to Tennis Channel. “Obviously, we’re one of the premier tournaments in the world. We’d like to have the best players that can play. We did all that we could. We tried to talk to the government, but that’s out of our hands.”

This decision will see Djokovic miss the upcoming Masters’ tournament in Indian Wells, California as well due to being denied entry to the country. Currently, the U.S. bars entry from unvaccinated foreigners to the country as part of its COVID-19 emergency declarations. This policy is expected to be lifted on May 11, however, meaning that Djokovic may be able to re-enter the United States in time for this year’s U.S. Open Grand Slam.

The post Djokovic Barred From Miami Open Following Denial Of Vaccine Exemption appeared first on yoursportspot.com.

Following Friday’s victory, Medvedev will look to extend his own winning streak of 13 games; the second-longest of his career. A former ATP world number one, Medvedev has gotten his year off to a flying start, winning tournaments in Doha and Rotterdam.

Competing in only his third tournament of the year, Djokovic was looking to continue his winning ways after lifting the 2023 Australian Open trophy, which saw him equal Rafael Nadal’s record of 22 career Grand Slam titles.

Prior to his loss to Medvedev, the Serbian’s last loss came in November last year, when he fell to Holger Rune in the Paris Masters final.

In the other semi-final, Rublev won 6-3, 7-6 (9) against Alexander Zverev. “Today, when I was going on court, I was thinking I have nothing to lose. He always beat me, so why I need to be tight,” Rublev remarked after his victory.

Medvedev and Rublev will meet in the Dubai Tennis Championships final on Saturday.

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