Novak Djokovic was thrashed by Alejandro Tabilo as he exited the Italian Open early on Sunday. The world No.1 was put to the sword 6-2, 6-3 by the Chilean in a massive upset which raises concerns about the Serb’s form heading into the French Open.
It has been a poor few days for Djokovic in Rome, being accidentally struck on the head by a water bottle following his 6-3 6-1 win over Corentin Moutet in the second round before being eliminated from the competition just 48 hours later.
Djokovic looked like a shadow of his former self as he was run ragged by Tabilo in a display which left questions about his future unanswered.
The Serbian struggled from the off, with his serving uncharacteristically poor and allowing Tabilo to hit the ground running and gain momentum, coming off the back of his success at the Challenger 175 in France.
After claiming the first set in sensational fashion, the world No. 32 showed no signs of wavering and broke Djokovic’s serve in the first game of the second set, before holding on in valiant fashion to secure the biggest victory of his career so far.
With the French Open on the horizon, Djokovic has just eight days to regroup and refocus before targeting one of his most beloved competitions. But the 36-year-old will know that he will need to improve markedly during that short break if he is to retain his crown.
