Montecarlo, Monaco — Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz faced a scare against Argentina’s Francisco Cerúndolo, while Serbian Novak Djokovic was upset by Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in a surprising turn of events at the Montecarlo Masters on April 9, 2025.
Alcaraz, ranked No. 3 in the world, struggled initially but managed to turn the tables, winning the match 3-6, 6-0, 6-1. After dropping the first set, the 21-year-old Alcaraz responded by dominating the next two sets, only conceding one game in thirteen played. This match is crucial for Alcaraz as he gears up to defend his title at Roland Garros in late May.
“I didn’t start well. I made a lot of mistakes and let him play inside the court, controlling the points,” admitted Alcaraz post-match. “I knew I had to change my game, play more aggressively, and show my best tennis with drop shots and volleys. The major shift was my return; I focused on staying closer to the lines to put pressure on him,” he explained, referring to his strategy change after the first set.
Looking forward, Alcaraz will face German Daniel Altmaier, ranked No. 84, in the next round following Altmaier’s victory over veteran French player Richard Gasquet.
In stark contrast, Novak Djokovic, ranked No. 5, was eliminated by Alejandro Tabilo, showing a lack of sharpness as he accumulated 29 unforced errors throughout the match. Djokovic noted his low expectations going into Montecarlo, mentioning, “I came here without high expectations and no time to acclimate to the clay. I anticipated a tough outing, and it turned out to be just that.”
Tabilo, ranked No. 32, dominated the encounter, securing a place in the next round against the winner of the match between Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and Monegasque Valentin Vacherot. This match marked the second consecutive defeat for Djokovic at the hands of Tabilo, who previously upset him on clay in the third round of the 2024 Montecarlo tournament.
“It was horrible. The feeling of playing this way is horrible. I’m sorry for everyone who came to see me. I hoped it wouldn’t end this way, but there were high chances it could happen,” Djokovic expressed following his defeat.
In other matches, Alejandro Davidovich from Spain won against Argentina’s Tomás Etcheverry, scoring 7-6(7/2), 6-3. Davidovich will next face British player Jack Draper. However, there was disappointment for Spanish tennis as veteran Roberto Bautista lost against Norwegian Casper Ruud, and Pedro Martínez was eliminated by Portugal’s Nuno Borges in three sets.
Meanwhile, other favorites like Andrey Rublev, ranked No. 9, Daniil Medvedev, No. 11, and Australia’s Alex de Miñaur, No. 10, progressed to the next stage of the tournament.
