At the ATP 500 in Doha, Novak Djokovic, recently recovered from an injury, suffered a surprising defeat in the first round against Italian Matteo Berrettini. This unexpected elimination opens a more favorable path for young tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, who now stands out as one of the tournament favorites.
The match between Djokovic and Berrettini ended with a victory for the Italian by 7-6 (4) and 6-2 in just 1 hour and 35 minutes. This setback represents a blow to the Serbian's career, especially as it was a rematch of a Wimbledon final from four years ago.
Berrettini demonstrated solid performance and a change in mindset that allowed him to surpass Djokovic. The atmosphere was also charged with tension due to the Serbian's previous statements about Umberto Ferrara, part of Berrettini's team and former fitness coach of Jannik Sinner, involved in a doping scandal.
Despite the prior controversies, Djokovic could not regain control of the match and was outperformed by a confident and efficient Berrettini on the court. This surprising defeat has shaken the tournament and now positions Alcaraz more prominently in his quest for the title in Doha.
