Novak Djokovic and Alex De Minaur Share Laugh at “Ugly” Match in Monte Carlo

Novak Djokovic Survives Tough Test in Monte Carlo, Shares Light Moment with Alex De Minaur

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic faced a tough challenge against Alex De Minaur in the quarterfinals of the Monte Carlo Masters, but managed to come through with a 7-5 6-4 victory to reach the semi-finals for the first time in nine years. Despite the intense battle on the court, both players shared a light-hearted moment at the net after the match.

The match was a rollercoaster ride with eight breaks of serve, six of them occurring consecutively in the second set. Djokovic, 36, struggled at times, showing signs of exhaustion and committing 26 unforced errors. De Minaur, ranked No. 11 in the world, also made costly mistakes that allowed Djokovic to capitalize and secure crucial points.

After the match, Djokovic revealed that De Minaur had jokingly described their performance as “ugly,” a sentiment that the Serbian star couldn’t help but agree with. Despite the less-than-perfect display of tennis, both players were able to laugh off their mistakes and share a moment of camaraderie on the court.

“He’s one of the quickest players on tour, he gets a lot of balls back that normally 99 per cent of the other players don’t. He did surprise me with several passing shots in the second set, particularly when I was up a break,” Djokovic said of his opponent.

Despite the challenging match, Djokovic now finds himself in the semi-finals of the Monte Carlo Masters for the first time since 2015. As a two-time champion of the tournament, Djokovic will be looking to continue his quest for another title as he navigates through the competition in Monte Carlo.