The Spaniard, 46th in the world, is never a good opponent to start a tournament.

Even less when he plays fire.

And even less when one has not played in competition for months.

The world N.1 had bitter experience of this, he who was unable to tame the energy, the courage or the tennis of his opponent against whom he lost 6-3, 6-7 (5/7 ), 6-1 after 2h54 of combat.

"He could have won in two sets, estimated Djokovic. I managed to push the match into a third set, but then I physically collapsed. I could not move".

In addition, he committed too many unforced errors (45 in total), like the thirteenth which offered the first run to Davidovich.

The Serb thus found himself trailing 6-3, 3-0 after conceding five games in a row and after a 14-minute service game from his opponent on which he failed to convert any of the five balls station wagons obtained.

Two plays later, he sent a high volley of forehand beyond the corridor, leaving his coach Goran Ivanisevic totally bewildered.

This error offered a break point to Davidovich who hastened to convert it on a superb counter-amortization to lead 4-2.

Djokovic didn't give up, but Davidovich fought like hell, diving until he scratched himself.

Bleeding slightly from his right hand and left knee, he had to seek treatment on the court.

Roland lens

But the two players came to the tie-break and the Spaniard found himself two points from the match (5 points to 4).

Djokovic then lined up three points in a row and concluded with a superb forehand passing shot which made the public stand up.

Himself, after a few seconds to stare at the spectators hand to ear to listen to the clamor, then let out one of his howls of rage.

Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich winner of Novak Djokovic in Monte-Carlo, April 11, 2022 Valery HACHE AFP

Just back to a set everywhere, he did not turn the game upside down because Davidovich immediately made another break to lead 2-0, then another to lead 4-1 and an ultimate to win on his second match point.

"It's disappointing to lose a game and feel like this on a court, but I'm not going to stop there, I'm going to keep working and I hope to reach my best form for Roland-Garros, it's is my big goal for the season on gravel", underlined the defending champion Porte d'Auteuil.

"Time"

He was playing his fourth match on the tour, after three at the ATP 500 in Dubai in February, since losing the Masters semi-finals in mid-November 2021. By the end of last season, he had also reached the Davis Cup semi-finals with Serbia.

Then, due to his refusal of the anti-covid vaccine, he could not play the Australian Open or the Masters 1000 in Indian Wells and Miami.

"I knew it would take time to be at my best on clay, that's always been the case historically: I never played the opening tournaments of the season well on clay," he said. -he thinks.

Novak Djokovic fae to the Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich in Monte-Carlo, April 12, 2022 Valery HACHE AFP

This elimination in the second round is his worst result in Monte-Carlo since 2016, when he gave in at this stage against the Czech Jiri Vesely.

But since his second title in 2015, the Serb has not actually exceeded the quarters.

For his part, Davidovich savored the outcome of this "big fight", the best victory of his career.

"I knew he hadn't played much this year and that I had to gain confidence from the start," commented the 22-year-old Spaniard who will face Briton Daniel Evans (27th), semi-finalist in the next round. last year, or the Belgian David Goffin (47th).

© 2022 AFP