Novak Djokovic’s return from injury, which forced him to withdraw from the Australian Open semifinal, was cut short on Tuesday by Matteo Berrettini who defeated the former world number one 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 to end his stay in the Qatar Open.
“I was outplayed by just a better player today,” said the Serbian legend. “Yes, I wasn’t at my desired level, and it could be that I’m still not moving the way I want to move, but I played without pain, so there is no excuse for that.”
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It was Berrettini’s first win over a top-10 ranked player since 2023 and the first ever against Djokovic
“I think he played a masterclass match to be honest, tactically, and served very well, so just a very deserved win from his side.”
“Something I’ve been looking to do for a long time. I’ve played against him in the most important tournaments on tour,” Berrettini said after the match. “I wish I could have won one of those matches.”
Berrettini secured the opening set by claiming two crucial points against Djokovic’s serve in the tiebreak. He followed this with a commanding break in the second set’s second game.
Despite having broken Berrettini’s serve 27 times in their earlier four matches, Djokovic struggled to make an impact. The Italian maintained solid service games until the final moments, ultimately clinching victory on his second match point.
“A champion like Novak is always ready to come back,” Berrettini said. “You don’t have to think about match point. You have to think about the next point.”
Djokovic, meanwhile, added that he isn’t looking to make a drastic change to his style of playing.
“I am trying to improve my game, like everybody else. But my game is not going to change now drastically,” Djokovic said. “My game is what it is, the core is going to be the same.”
“There are more injuries. Things are not the same as 10 years ago, 15 years ago. I still try to take care of my body on a daily basis, and it’s more challenging now, no doubt. I still try to do my very best, given the circumstances.”
Also, Alex De Minaur defeated Russia’s Roman Safiullin 6-1, 7-5 despite unfavourable weather conditions. Sixth-ranked Daniil Medvedev overcame fellow Russian and title holder Karen Khachanov 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a tough contest.
Fifth-seeded Andrey Rublev, another former Russian champion, secured a 6-3, 6-4 victory against Alexander Bublik.
