Tabilo beats Djokovic in huge upset at Italian Open
Tabilo pulls off shocking upset over Djokovic at Italian Open
When a fan's water bottle hit him on the head while he was signing autographs on Friday, the Serb placed the blame on that incident.
Just two days after the Serbian was hit on the head by a water bottle, Chilean Alejandro Tabilo achieved his greatest career victory by defeating world number one Novak Djokovic 6-2 6-3 in a match that lasted just sixty-seven minutes on Sunday in the third round of the Italian Open.
Tabilo defeated the top seed four times on Centre Court without allowing a single break point, despite Djokovic's six tournament victories (his most recent being in 2022).
The 36-year-old Djokovic blamed Friday's "unfortunate" incident, in which he was hit on the head by a fan's water bottle while signing autographs following his second-round victory, for his lacklustre performance.
"It has had a profound effect on me. In a news conference, Djokovic explained that he sought medical attention after experiencing nausea, dizziness, and blood for half an hour to an hour. He went on to say that he would undergo scans later.
The headaches went away, and I got a decent night's sleep. I figured it would be alright because the following day, or the day before, was pretty good. It could be fine, or it could be terrible.
When I stepped onto the court today, it was as if a whole new player had stepped into my shoes. On every single shot, there is absolutely no tempo, rhythm, or balance. It raises some concerns.
Tabilo, a 26-year-old who had previously won a Challenger Tour event, became the first Chilean to defeat a world number one in 17 years with this triumph. The last time this happened was in 2007 at the ATP Finals, when Fernando Gonzalez defeated Roger Federer.
"I can't believe it. I walked onto the court and stared around, trying to take it all in. At this very moment, the world-ranked 32nd-ranked Tabilo is attempting to awaken.
With this loss, Djokovic (who committed a double fault on match point) drops to 0 for 2024 and plays just six matches on clay before the French Open.
A quick exit in Rome could hinder the Serbian's preparations for Roland Garros, where the year's second Grand Slam begins on May 26, despite the fact that he had reached the semifinals of the Monte Carlo Masters.
Asking about his chances of winning the French Open, Djokovic stated, "Everything needs to be better for me to have at least a chance to win it."
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