MONACO – Top-ranked Novak Djokovic lost 6-4, 7-5 on Thursday to Dan Evans in the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters for his first defeat of the year.
The Australian Open champions came into the match 10-0, but faced pressure from the outset as they beat the unclassified British player 3-0 in their first meeting.
Djokovic left his service five times in windy conditions. Evans, after gaining a 6-5 lead, got the win in their first game point with a first-hand winner who cut the net.
“He probably hasn’t sunk in yet. I couldn’t quite believe the last ball went through the net. He almost didn’t,” Evans said. “It’s clearly a big win. That’s the most important thing, you have to believe you can win. Serving it isn’t easy, you’ve gone through all these things in your head.”
Evans will play his first quarterfinal of the Masters against 11th-ranked David Goffin, who upset Alexander Zverev, fifth, 6-4, 7-6 (7).
Goffin saved the six breaking points he faced and once broke the imposing German service.
In another third-round play, Stefanos Tsitsipas advanced 6-3, 6-4 against Cristian Garin and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina won wildcard Lucas Pouille 6-2, 7-6 (2).
Later Thursday, eleven-time champion Rafael Nadal faces Grigor Dimitrov in his fifteenth meeting, with Nadal leading 13-1.