Novak Djokovic experienced a surprising early exit at the 2025 Monte-Carlo Masters, falling in straight sets to World No. 32 Alejandro Tabilo on Wednesday. The Chilean player, who had a difficult season prior to this match with only three wins in the ATP season, pulled off a major upset against the 24-time Grand Slam champion.
Djokovic, on the other hand, came into the match with some momentum after reaching the final of the Miami Open, his best performance of the season so far. Although he was defeated by Jakub Mensik in that final, many expected him to carry that form into his first clay court appearance of the year.
The match began positively for Djokovic, who broke serve early to take a 1-0 lead. However, he failed to maintain that advantage, eventually dropping the first set 3-6 after being broken twice. In the second set, Tabilo broke early again, building a 4-2 lead and placing himself firmly in control. Despite Djokovic’s efforts to fight back and come close to breaking, Tabilo held his ground to close out the match with a 6-3, 6-4 win, advancing to the next round.
With this result, Djokovic is expected to shift his focus to upcoming clay events, including the Madrid Open and the Italian Open, as he prepares for the French Open.
Interestingly, Tabilo now holds a perfect record against Djokovic, having won both of their encounters. Their first meeting took place at the 2024 Italian Open, where Tabilo also emerged victorious in straight sets.
Looking ahead, Tabilo is expected to face Grigor Dimitrov in the Round of 16. A win there could set up a quarterfinal clash with eighth seed Alex de Minaur. If he continues his winning streak, he may face either Matteo Berrettini or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the semifinals, with a potential final matchup against second seed Carlos Alcaraz.
Tabilo’s 2025 season got off to a rocky start, especially during the clay-court Golden Swing, where he lost all his matches in Argentina, Rio, and his home event in Chile. His first win of the season came at Indian Wells, followed by another at the Miami Open. At Monte-Carlo, he picked up a notable victory over three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka before shocking Djokovic to reach the next round.