Novak Djokovic’s Doha Comeback Ends in First-Round Upset
Novak Djokovic’s highly anticipated return to the court ended in a disappointing first-round exit at the Qatar Open in Doha. The former world number one, who had been sidelined for over three weeks with a hamstring injury, fell to Italian Matteo Berrettini in straight sets, 7-6(5), 6-3.
Djokovic, making his first appearance since his Australian Open semifinal loss to Alexander Zverev, struggled to find his rhythm against a determined Berrettini. The Italian, ranked 20th in the world, displayed a dominant serve throughout the match, hitting 13 aces and winning 75% of his first-serve points. Djokovic, on the other hand, failed to break Berrettini’s serve even once.
In the first set, both players held serve comfortably until the tiebreak. Berrettini gained an early lead in the tiebreak and never looked back, eventually securing the set 7-6(5). Djokovic bounced back in the second set, breaking Berrettini’s serve in the opening game. However, the Italian responded immediately, breaking back in the next game. Berrettini continued to apply pressure on Djokovic’s serve, and eventually broke the Serb again in the eighth game to take a 5-3 lead. Djokovic held on to win the fourth game, but Berrettini held his nerve in the tenth game to seal the upset victory.
Berrettini’s performance was a testament to his hard work and determination. After struggling with injuries in recent years, the 25-year-old has returned to his best form, reaching the semifinals of the Australian Open earlier this year. His victory over Djokovic is a significant achievement and will undoubtedly boost his confidence going forward.
Djokovic, on the other hand, will be disappointed with his performance but will be relieved to put this setback behind him. The Serb has a busy schedule ahead of him, including the Dubai Tennis Championships next week and the Indian Wells Masters in early March. He will be hoping to regain his top form in time for these important tournaments.
In other matches on Tuesday at the Qatar Open, Canadian Felix Auger-Aliassime survived a scare to defeat Frenchman Quentin Halys in three sets, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(2). Auger-Aliassime will face the winner of the match between Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas and Serbian Hamad Medjedovic.
The Qatar Open is a key warm-up event for the upcoming ATP Tour Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells and Miami. The tournament has attracted a strong field of players, including Andy Murray, Roberto Bautista Agut, and Nikoloz Basilashvili.
Match Highlights
- Berrettini hit 13 aces and won 75% of his first-serve points.
- Djokovic failed to break Berrettini’s serve even once.
- Berrettini won the first set in a tiebreak, 7-6(5).
- Berrettini broke Djokovic’s serve twice in the second set to seal the victory.
- Auger-Aliassime defeated Halys in three sets, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(2).
Upcoming Matches
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Wednesday, February 22:
- Stefanos Tsitsipas vs. Hamad Medjedovic
- Tallon Griekspoor vs. Matteo Berrettini
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Thursday, February 23:
- Felix Auger-Aliassime vs. Stefanos Tsitsipas/Hamad Medjedovic
