Djokovic struggles continue with early loss at Miami Open

Six-time champion Novak Djokovic’s hopes of turning around his season at the Miami Open ended in the second round when he was defeated 6-3 6-4 by Frenchman Benoit Paire.

The loss on Friday snapped a 16-match winning streak in the tournament for the ninth-seeded Serbian, who had been eliminated in the second round at Indian Wells but said before the match his right elbow was pain-free for the first time in a long while.

He had won the tournament in 2014, 2015 and 2016 but missed last year’s event with the elbow injury.

Following losses to Hyeon Chung in fourth round of Australian Open 2018 and to Taro Daniel in his opening match at Indian Wells, it marks the first time in 11 years that Djokovic has lost three consecutive matches.

Paire delivered nine aces to two for the Serb and won 71 per cent of his service points, Djokovic acknowledging he simply lost to a more superior player in only his third tournament – and sixth match – since 2017 Wimbledon.

“I’m not feeling great when I’m playing this way. Of course, I want to be able to play as well as I want to play. Just it’s impossible at the moment,” said Djokovic.

“That’s all. I lost to a better player.”

Winner, winner! ????@benoitpaire defeats Djokovic 6-3, 6-4. #MiamiOpen pic.twitter.com/fI9pxsc39N

— Miami Open (@MiamiOpen) March 23, 2018

But while a long way removed that took him to 12 Grand Slam titles and the world No.1 ranking for 223 weeks in total, the 30-year-old Djokovic seemingly retains the mind-set required for a successful comeback from the injury that ended his 2017 season after Wimbledon.

“I know that you can’t be the person that you were yesterday, and the player [you once were]. You have to keep on training, evolving, trying to improve your game,” said Djokovic, who underwent minor surgery for the injury after the Australian Open.

“The circumstances that I was in the last two years were very challenging. But I’m not the only one that goes through that. I mean, there are tougher injuries that players go through. I don’t want to sit here and whine about my last couple of years.”

Djokovic is yet to decide whether he’ll contest the next Masters 1000 event in Monte Carlo – the marquee opener to the European clay court season – he had no regret at contesting Indian Wells and Miami, where he has claimed the famed “Sunshine Double” on four occasions.

“I wouldn’t go out on the court if I didn’t believe I can win a tennis match. I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t trying. I mean, nobody is kind of forcing me with a whip to go out on the court. I have a freedom to choose whether I want to play or not,” Djokovic insisted.

“I love this sport. There’s a lot of people that support me, especially here. I thank them for their great support. Unfortunately I’m not at the level they would like to see me at and I would like to see myself at. But it is what it is. Life goes on.”

Del Potro tested in 12th straight match win

Juan Martin del Potro survived a battle with Robin Haase to capture his 12th consecutive win, 6-4 5-7 6-2.

Del Potro, who defeated world No.1 Roger Federer to win the Indian Wells Masters last week, needed two hours and nine minutes to advance.

The Argentine now faces Kei Nishikori, a three-sets winner over John Millman, and admits improvements are required.

“It was a very difficult first match of the tournament for me,” del Potro related.

“I’m still alive and that’s important. But I need to improve my tennis, my physicality and my mind if I want to go further. My body started to feel tired but I will have some time now to recover.”

Cilic through as seeds stumble

Meanwhile, second-seeded Croatian Marin Cilic moved into the third round with a 7-5 6-3 triumph over Frenchman Pierre-Hugues Herbert.

But elsewhere, the early upsets did not end with Djokovic’s loss.

David Goffin was unsuccessful in his return from an eye injury, with the seventh seeded Belgian falling to Portugal’s Joao Sousa 6-0 6-1.

American wild card Michael Mmoh produced another surprise, upsetting 12th seeded Roberto Bautista Agut 7-6(4) 2-6 6-4.

Diego Schwartzman and Milos Raonic also moved on.

Argentine Schwartzman, the 13th seed, dominated Chilean Nicolas Jarry 6-3 6-1 while the 20th seeded Raonic, a 2016 Wimbledon finalist, cruised into the third round with a 6-3 6-3 victory over Swede Mikael Ymer.