Novak Djokovic shrugged off his heaviest career defeat on Friday by insisting he had achieved his goal of wrapping up the year-end world number one spot for a record-equalling sixth time. The Serb admitted that securing the World No 1 record played a part in the motivation during the loss.
Djokovic was stunned 6-2, 6-1 by Italian lucky loser Lorenzo Sonego in the quarter-finals of the Vienna ATP tournament, his heaviest loss in a three-set match. This was only the third loss for Djokovic in 2020 as compared to 39 wins.
But having won two rounds, 33-year-old Djokovic is virtually guaranteed equalling Pete Sampras’s record of securing the year-ending top ranking for the sixth time, breaking the tie with Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
“Clinching the year-end number one had an effect on me,” Djokovic told a news conference.
“I have done what I came here for, securing the number one. And I’m completely fine with today’s result. I’m healthy and looking forward to a strong finish in London (the season-ending ATP Finals)“.
"Yes, clinching the n°1 had an effect on me today. I’ve done what I came here for, securing the number 1. And I move completely fine with today’s result. I'm healthy and looking forward to a strong finish in London", Novak Djokovic
— Carole Bouchard 💜💛 (@carole_bouchard) October 30, 2020
Italian Sonego, ranked 42 and who had initially lost in qualifying last weekend, is the first lucky loser ever to beat Djokovic. The only other time Djokovic had won just three games was at the 2005 Australian Open at the hands of Marat Safin in a best-of-five set encounter.
Djokovic can only be denied the end of year world number one ranking if Nadal takes an unlikely wild card into the Sofia tournament next month. The Spaniard has already said, however, that travelling to Bulgaria after next week’s Paris Masters and before London is not on his agenda.
This therefore raised questions over Djokovic’s unlikely performance. Here’s a look at what the tennis community said about the loss on Twitter.
It's the heaviest loss of Djokovic's career.
— José Morgado (@josemorgado) October 30, 2020
3 games.
That is best of 3.
— enrico maria riva (@enricomariariva) October 30, 2020
Djokovic lost in AO 2005 to Safin winning only 3 games.
The last time Novak Djokovic lost to an opponent ranked outside of the top 40: Marco Cecchinato in Roland Garros 2018.
— Tumaini Carayol (@tumcarayol) October 30, 2020
Sub top 40 players with wins over Djokovic as the world number one: Juan Martin del Potro (2016), Lorenzo Sonego (2020)
7W 25 UEs from Djokovic. Not sure when the last time was that Djokovic was minus-18 in the W/UE.
— Ravi Ubha (@raviubha) October 30, 2020
18 net approaches in 15 games.
Don't think we'll see those numbers in London.
Not surprising, as long as he’s healthy was probably always going to be hard for Novak to get really motivated for this event given he has the No.1 ranking locked up. And Sonego gets the biggest win of his career.
— Matthew Willis (@MattRacquet) October 30, 2020
That was a disgraceful effort on court from Novak Djokovic. Seemed interested in catching a flight back home now that the No. 1 ranking for the year was sealed. #ErsteBankOpen
— PP (@PrashantSport) October 30, 2020
Lorenzo Sonego 6-2, 6-1 Novak Djokovic.
— The Tennis Podcast (@TennisPodcast) October 30, 2020
Sonego was inspired. Djokovic absolutely was not. pic.twitter.com/znO3f9f568
First set was fine, but the end of that match was a straight tank from Djokovic, pretty weak unless he's injured.
— Trenton Jocz (@TrentonJocz) October 30, 2020
Roger did the same in 2018 by adding Rotterdam to his schedule to get back the numero 1 spot. Needed to win his QF to achieve his goal which he did but the difference is that after that, he hasn’t tanked the following match like Novak did today and still won the tournament 🤷♀️ https://t.co/1ySglhxq7F
— Lisa (BEL21VE) (@lisa_wawrinka) October 30, 2020
With AFP Inputs
