Czech Jiri Vesely surprised Serbian World No.1 Novak Djokovic 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 in the second round of the Monte Carlo tennis Masters.
The 5th-ranked Vesely took 125 minutes to defeat the defending champion on clay court here on Wednesday, which still remains a weakness for Djokovic, reports Tass.
It is only Djokovic's second loss of the season and his earliest defeat on the tennis tour in three years, since losing in the second round of the Mutua Madrid Open against Grigor Dimitrov.
Vesely goes on to face Paolo Lorenzi or Gael Monfils.
Djokovic's loss left him disappointed, but the Serbian also had to nod to Czech Jiri Vesely, who earned the biggest win of his career by knocking off the two-time Monte-Carlo champion.
"He played very solid. He was serving very big. He was playing tactically good and aggressive," Djokovic said after the match.
"When he was a break up in the third set, he was playing bravely. He was coming in, (hitting) drop shots, big serves. He was going for it. He deserved to have it."
"I have to congratulate the better player today on the court and just move on from there," Djokovic added.
"It is what it is. Sometimes you don't play your best and you lose."
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
