Dan Evans stuns Djokovic in straight sets to reach Monte-Carlo quarters

ATP Masters 1000 Monte-Carlo, 3rd round
Evans beats Djokovic: 6-4, 7-5

• The headline: Dan Evans upsets Novak Djokovic in the third round of the Monte-Carlo Masters
• Other key info: Evans saved 7 of 10 break point opportunities against his serve
• Why you should read this story: Evans had never beaten a top 5 opponent prior to this and is now through to his first-ever ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final

World No 1 Novak Djokovic was stunned by Britain’s Dan Evans in the third round of the Monte-Carlo Masters on Thursday, as the Brit scored his first-ever win over a top 5 opponent.

Evans starts strong to win first set

30-year-old Evans started off the match going up by two breaks in the first set to go up 3-0 in 11 minutes. The Serb managed to get his foot back into the match and levelled the set at 4-4. However, the Brit broke once again to win the first set 6-4 in just under an hour.

All the skills on display 👌

Evans & Djokovic taking it up a notch in Monte Carlo!@DjokerNole #RolexMCMasters pic.twitter.com/nsGVwTGygN

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 15, 2021

Evans comes from 0-3 down  to win second set for biggest win

In the second set, it was Djokovic who went up to a quick 3-0 lead only to see Evans fight back this time. The Brit saved a set point at 4-5 (30-40) and broke Djokovic’s serve once again in the 11th game before serving out the match 6-4, 7-5 in two hours and nine minutes.

The win was the first top 5 victory for Evans and ended Djokovic’s perfect (10-0) start to the 2021 season.

DAN-TASTIC 🙌

Dan Evans upsets Novak Djokovic 6-4 7-5 in Monte Carlo to secure his first-ever win over a World No. 1!#RolexMCMasters pic.twitter.com/mGy8kRy4iM

— Tennis TV (@TennisTV) April 15, 2021

33rd ranked Evans, who had won only four tour-level clay-court matches prior to this event, was understandably delighted to get the win, saying it will be a good story to tell his grandkids.

“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Evans said in his post-match interview as quoted by the ATP Tour. “I couldn’t quite believe the last ball went over the net. It nearly didn’t. I was pleased, regardless, with how I was playing coming into the match. I felt good.

“I am just happy with how it went and it will be one to savour for maybe after the tournament, to tell the kids and grandkids that you beat the World No. 1. It is a nice one.”

Evans will next meet 11th seed David Goffin, who upset fifth seed Alexander Zverev 6-4, 7-6 (9-7) in another third-round encounter on Thursday.