Novak Djokovic gives iconic two-word reaction when asked about his goals on clay after shocking Monte Carlo loss

Novak Djokovic has two more Masters 1000 tournaments to prepare himself for Roland Garros, where he is the three-time champion.

Novak Djokovic gives iconic two-word reaction when asked about his goals on clay after shocking Monte Carlo loss

Novak Djokovic (Image via X)

Novak Djokovic suffered a devastating opening-round loss at Monte Carlo, denying him the chance to win a third title at the event. The Serb remains title-less for the season, having won only one title since the start of 2024, which came at the Paris Olympics.

Djokovic still has two more Masters 1000 events on clay to prepare for Roland Garros. However, the former World No. 1 has only one goal in mind for the clay court season this year.

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Roland Garros

Novak Djokovic said in his post-match press conference in Monte Carlo

Djokovic is a three-time Roland Garros champion, having won titles in 2016, 2021, and 2023. Last year, he withdrew from his quarterfinal match against Casper Ruud, which ultimately cost him his World No. 1 ranking.

Djokovic does have happy memories at Roland Garros, as he won the Olympic gold medal there last year. However, he needs to clean up his game if he wants to compete for the title.

Alejandro Tabilo has Novak Djokovic’s number

Alejandro Tabilo continued his winning streak against Novak Djokovic at the Monte Carlo Masters. He shocked the Serbian again with a 6-3, 6-4 win in the second round. Tabilo stayed calm in key moments while Djokovic looked off his game.

Novak Djokovic (7)
Novak Djokovic (Image via The Tennis Gazette)

This was their second meeting, with Tabilo also winning their first match in Rome last year. Djokovic struggled with his shots and couldn’t handle Tabilo’s fast, flat hitting. He looked uncomfortable from the baseline and never got into a rhythm.

Tabilo had already beaten Stan Wawrinka in the first round. This is the first time since last August that he has won two main tour matches in a row. His best result at a Masters event was a semi-final run in Rome last season.

Djokovic had reached the Miami final last month, just missing out on his 100th title. But in Monte Carlo, he had trouble moving on the clay and made 14 unforced errors in the first set. In the second, he missed his only break chances and couldn’t get past Tabilo’s solid play.

Novak Djokovic faces major setback in Roland Garros seeding

Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic missed a big chance to climb the ATP Rankings after a surprise loss at the 2025 Monte Carlo Masters. Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo beat him in straight sets, 6-3, 6-4, in the second round. Djokovic started well by breaking Tabilo early, but he lost his serve right after and couldn’t recover.

Novak Djokovic (2)
Novak Djokovic (Image via X/NovakFanFan)

The Serbian star never managed to break Tabilo again. His only real chances came late in the second set, but Tabilo stayed strong and finished the match well. This was Djokovic’s second loss to Tabilo, who also beat him last year in Rome.

Djokovic, now ranked world No 5, had been playing well before Monte Carlo. He reached the final in Miami, where he lost to young Czech player Jakub Mensik. That good run gave him hope of moving back into the top four.

A top-four spot would help in Grand Slams, as top seeds avoid each other until the semi-finals. Djokovic had a good chance to gain points because Taylor Fritz, ranked No 4, skipped the event. But instead, Djokovic lost early and dropped 390 points. He now trails Fritz by 1,160 points.