Novak Djokovic suffers a tough early round loss at the Australian Open. Monica Puig and others are also going home early on the women’s side.
Novak Djokovic ends his run at Melbourne Park on a tough note.
The Serbian six-time title winner was upset by world No. 117 Denis Istomin. No one saw the loss coming, especially Djokovic.
More from Lob and Smash
The world No. 2 appeared out of sync throughout the duration of his match with Istomin. While he appeared to be rallying at times, Nole could not break through his lack of rhythm.
The tennis world is stunned by the loss. Djokovic is a six-time winner at the Australian Open and the back-to-back defending champion at the major tournament. We are now assured a new winner in men’s singles.
“He deserved to win. No doubt, he was a better player in the clutch moments. Many things came together for him today and he’s a well-deserved winner. There’s not much I could do.” – Djokovic
In women’s singles, 2016 Olympics star Monica Puig lost in straight sets to Mona Barthel. The German tennis player commanded the match, winning 6-4, 6-4.
Carla Suárez Navarro has also been ousted from the major tournament. After her loss, the Spaniard announced that she is taking some time off over the next several weeks to recover from a lingering shoulder injury.
The Novak Djokovic upset leaves the men’s singles side of the tournament wide open. Other top players remain, although the next round of play is a difficult one. Look for a number of upsets in the third round on the men’s side along with a handful of matches between the world’s top players that can go either way.
Want your voice heard? Join the Lob and Smash team!
Check back for updates on the men’s ATP World Tour, the women’s WTA Tour, and other tennis news from Lob and Smash.
