MONACO – The top Novak Djokovic lost 6-4, 7-5 to Dan Evans on Thursday in the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters for his first defeat of the year.
The Australian Open champion entered the game 10-0, but was under pressure from the start when he was 3-0 behind the unseeded British player in their first meeting.
Djokovic dropped his serve five times in windy conditions. Evans, after breaking a 6-5 lead, took the win on his first match point with a forehand winner snapping the net.
“It probably hasn’t sunk yet, I couldn’t quite believe that the last ball went over the net. It almost never happened,” said Evans. “Obviously it’s a big win. That’s the most important thing, you have to believe you can win. It’s not easy to serve, you’ve played all these things through your mind.”
Evans will play his first Masters quarter-final against 11th-seeded David Goffin, who upset fifth-seeded Alexander Zverev 6-4, 7-6 (7).
Goffin saved all six breakpoints he encountered, breaking the imposing German’s service once.
In another game in the third round, Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced 6-3, 6-4 against Cristian Garin and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina defeated wildcard Lucas Pouille 6-2, 7-6 (2).
Later Thursday, 11-time champion Rafael Nadal will face Grigor Dimitrov in their 15th game, with Nadal leading 13-1.