RETURN OF THE DJOK He is back! World number one Novak Djokovic is finally returning to a competitive match court. It’s been stop-start after the drama surrounding his deportation from Australia and uncertainty brought on by his vaccination status have blighted his attempts to kick on from a scintillating 2021 campaign. As a result, the Serb has played just three matches so far in 2022 having missed the action at the season’s first Grand Slam and the Masters 1000 events at Indian Wells and Miami. Indeed, this – the Monte Carlo Masters - is just his second tournament having been surprisingly defeated by 123rd-ranked qualifier Jiri Vesely in the Dubai quarter finals way back on February 24. Djokovic has himself suggested he expects to be rusty but will need to find some semblance of form to see off his round two opponent, Alejandro Davidovich Fokina on Court Rainier III. The players are due out shortly.

N. Djokovic vs A. Davidovich | Monte Carlo

Men's Singles | Round 2 | 12.04.2022 | Court Rainier III

Completed

N. Djokovic (1)

7⁷

A. Davidovich

6⁵

Live

Live Updates

ByIbrahim Mustapha

Updated 12/04/2022 at 16:55 GMT

BREAK! – DJOKOVIC 3-6 2-3 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. Lifeline! Djokovic doesn’t have to do too much as his opponent suffers a wobble in consistency. A poor forehand into the net sums up his sudden dip and proves fatal as Nole breaks back to 15.

DJOKOVIC 3-6 1-3 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. It sounds ridiculous looking at the scoreboard, but could the tide be turning? Djokovic surges through his most comfortable hold of the match. He’s been pushing for a break and is playing with more desire and aggression. It just remains to be seen whether it’s coming too late in the day…

DJOKOVIC 3-6 0-3 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. That is a HUGE hold for ADF. The Spaniard saved FIVE break points in an almost 15-minute game before somehow prevailing. Djokovic will wonder how, particularly when sweeping a crosscourt backhand just wide on the fourth opportunity.

BREAK! – DJOKOVIC 3-6 0-2 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. The alarm bells continue to ring for Djokovic and he’s in deep trouble now. The Serb finds a big serve to fend off break point but coughs up another and is outlasted in a gruelling and patient point by the Spaniard. It’s another error into the net via the forehand from the top seed and it is very strange to see him struggling so badly despite the obvious caveat that he’s not played much this season.

DJOKOVIC 3-6 0-1 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. The momentum remains with the world number 46. Djokovic comes out with renewed vigour but he continues to lack the rhythm and precision associated with his game. He can’t make the most of an early break point and the Spaniard wriggles clear to hold from deuce.

SET! - DJOKOVIC 3-6 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. It continues to be a struggle for the top seed – and now he’s a set down. A shocker of a backhand slaps firmly into the net to tee up set point and he then lashes a wayward forehand into the tramlines to give his opponent a first ever set against him after 44 error-strewn minutes.

DJOKOVIC 3-5 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. Novak unloads a venomous forehand return winner to crank up the heat at 30-30 but Davidovich Fokina retorts with a very timely blistering winner of his own off the same wing. The Serb then hooks an avoidable backhand into the net and ADF maintains his push to take a first ever set off the world number one.

DJOKOVIC 3-4 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. It’s been a real struggle on serve for Djoker so far. He’s pressed to deuce but avoids having to try and defend a break point for the first time as ADF flashes an attempted winner wide. The Serbinator is right back in the hunt.

BREAK! – DJOKOVIC 2-4 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. The alarm bells were ringing for Novak but he gets a lifeline back into this set via a bit of his own magic and a helping hand from Alejandro. The Serb finally strikes the right note on that famous backhand up the line to claim two break points. He then guesses right on his opponent’s attempted put away and turns the rally in his favour to force an error. It’s a break back and could spark a belated lift off for the top seed.

BREAK! – DJOKOVIC 1-4 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. A quite sensational rally sees both players slip all over the clay surface before Davidovich guesses right on a Djoker forehand to cork his own forehand pass into the empty court. It clinches a double break after the Serb had once again given the Spaniard a look-in with a poor drop shot at 40-30.

DJOKOVIC 1-3 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. It’s one-way traffic so far – and it’s the world number 46 doing the damage. He benefits from a correction on a forehand called out at 15-0 but faces very little resistance from his illustrious opponent as he nails a crisp crosscourt backhand to consolidate with aplomb.

BREAK! – DJOKOVIC 1-2 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. Wow, Djokovic looks way off the pace early on. Davidovich conjures up another couple of break points with a lovely backhand pass and doesn’t have to do much to make the breakthrough this time around as Novak’s terrible attempt at a dropshot barely reaches the net.

DJOKOVIC 1-1 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. No such stress for Alejandro who surges through a very tidy love hold to cruise onto the board.

DJOKOVIC 1-0 DAVIDOVICH FOKINA. How does Novak look early on? Somewhat rusty! The Serb benefits from a couple of unforced errors off the ADF forehand to motor 40-15 up but then faces pressure from deuce when the Spaniard picks up a casual drop volley. Davidovich Fokina has two break opportunities but cannot convert and Nole edges through a tricky opening hold.

14.35

SHOW TIME!

The pre-match routines are done. Now, it's down to business.

Djokovic will serve first.

14.33

THE WARM UP!

Who has got more butterflies - the young Spaniard or the world number one?

14.30

WILL WE SEE DJOKOVIC V ALCARAZ IN MONTE CARLO?

Should two of the most talked about players on the ATP tour win their upcoming matches, they could meet for a first ever time in the quarter finals.

Monte Carlo Masters

'I want to face Djokovic' - Alcaraz relishing chance to face world number one

11/04/2022 at 13:35

14.25

CAN DAVIDOVICH FOKINA PROVIDE AN UPSET?

The 22-year-old Spaniard has a 2022 record of 5-9 but did halt a three-match losing run when he defeated Marcos Giron 7-5 6-3 in round one. His biggest career win to-date was in beating the then world number 10, Matteo Berrettini en route to the last eight of the Monte Carlo Masters last year.

Image credit: Getty Images

16.20

NOT JUST TENNIS SKILLS

Djoker has been gearing up for his big return but he's also had time to rub shoulders with some of football's elite!

Djokovic plays keepie-uppies with Neymar and Verratti – and loses

14.15

WHEN WILL NOLE FIND HIS GROOVE?

"I try not to have too high of expectations for myself, even though I obviously want to play at my best every tournament. I'm behind with competitive play against 99 per cent of the players, so it will probably take me some time to find a groove, to find the right momentum and get myself in the rhythm. Hopefully sooner than later. I always want to believe that it can come already [in the] first or second match, but I'm trying to take things step by step."

Novak Djokovic

Image credit: Eurosport

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