So we’ll see how I feel tomorrow, tonight, the next day. Interestingly, he got to the round of 32 in his first-ever Masters event two years ago at Indian Wells, but hadn’t accomplished the feat since.
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“This is a proof nobody’s unbeatable”, said Djokovic. I’m getting closer to the peak in the sense of maximum movement against the best players on a tough surface.
The result handed Djokovic just his second defeat of the season and marked his earliest exit on the ATP World Tour in three years, after he lost to Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov at the Madrid Open.
If there is anything positive about Novak Djokovic’s stunning loss at the Monte Carlo Masters, it would be the chance it gave to career rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in winning their first title of the season. “Maybe you could say that today was a bit lucky, but I was actually unlucky in some matches in the last few months. I’m going to get more time off now which I look forward to as I’m going to need some rest, physical and mental as well”. The last time came in the summer of 2010 when he was defeated by No. 74 Xavier Malisse in the Wimbledon tune-up at Queen’s Club.
Wawrinka finally finished with a break in the second set for 6-5 and claimed victory a game later on his first match point to take his record over Kohlschreiber to 4-0.
Eight-time victor Rafael Nadal had no such problems in a 6-3 6-3 victory over Britain’s Aljaz Bedene and next meets rising star Dominic Thiem, who recovered from a set down to defeat Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel.
Next up on Friday for the fifth-seeded Spaniard will be the fourth-seeded Wawrinka, who routed Frenchman Gilles Simon 6-1, 6-2 on Thursday.
Murray next plays No. 10 Milos Raonic of Canada, who had 12 aces in a 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (5) win against 99th-ranked Damir Dzumur.
Murray, seeded second and target man after the second-round elimination of Novak Djokovic, scratched out a narrow 2-6, 7-5, 7-5 win over Benoit Paire.
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Djokovic’s only other loss this year came in February in Dubai, when he retired from a quarterfinal match following the first set because of an eye infection. It’s a dominance that’s often overlooked, since the undisputed King of Clay was also winning nine out of ten French Opens at the time – and Grand Slams hog the media attention. He was denied a match point as the world’s top tennis player held serve in the ninth game to force the Czech to serve it out.
