Having not won a match since January, Novak Djokovic came into the Monte Carlo Masters with lessened expectations. When he was drawn into the tournament's Group of Death—his quarter included two-time French Open semifinalist Dominic Thiem and 10-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal—those expectations were diminished further.
But the Serb should be given credit for what was ultimately a successful week in Monaco, despite losing to Thiem in the third round on Thursday, 6-7 (2), 6-2, 6-3. Djokovic rallied from a break down in the first set against the 24-year-old Austrian, prevailing in a tiebreaker for his fifth straight set win in Monte Carlo. The 12-time Grand Slam champion routed countryman Dusan Lajovic in his opener, 6-0, 6-1, then topped Borna Coric in the second round, 7-6 (2), 7-5.
From that point on, however, Thiem's blend of heavy groundstrokes and clay-friendly spin were enough to keep Djokovic at bay, forcing him to hit groundie after groundie—a daunting task for any player still rounding into form, even if that player is one of the best to ever play the game. Djokovic ultimately made 40 unforced errors on the day, in sharp contrast to Thiem's consistent pressure.
Tied 3-3 in the third, Thiem took the last three games to reach the quarterfinals, where he will face Nadal in a tantalizing match-up on their preferred surface.
Match Point:
