Djokovic stunned by Vesely in Monaco

NOVAK DJOKOVIC suffered his earliest defeat at a tournament for three years with a shock defeat by Czech Jiri Vesely at the Monte Carlo Masters.

Vesely, a 22-year-old ranked 55, had never previously beaten a top-10 player but stunned the world No.1 and defending champion 6-4, 2-6, 6-4, in the second round.

Djokovic’s only previous singles loss in 2016 had come when an eye infection prompted his retirement against Feliciano Lopez in Dubai.

And the Serbian, who had a bye in round one, had not lost his opening match at any tournament since the Madrid Masters in 2013.

Djokovic was out of sorts throughout but Vesely more than played his part, losing just two points on serve in the opening set and then hitting back in the decider after losing the last four games of the second set.

At that stage, Djokovic seemed to have overcome the danger, but Vesely got the better of three successive breaks at the start of the third.

Djokovic saved a match point to hold for 5-4, but Vesely put nerves aside to take his second chance when the top seed put a forehand wide.

Eight-time winner Rafael Nadal had no such problems in a 6-3, 6-3, victory over Britain’s Aljaz Bedene and next meets rising star Dominic Thiem, who recovered from a set down to defeat Japanese qualifier Taro Daniel.

It was a creditable performance from the British No 2, but he held serve only four times.

Fourth seed Stan Wawrinka, the champion in 2014, battled past Philipp Kohlschreiber 7-6 (7/2), 7-5, but sixth seed Tomas Berdych suffered a surprise 6-4, 6-7 (1/7), 6-3, loss to Bosnian Damir Dzumhur.

In the doubles, Andy Murray and Dominic Inglot moved into the quarter-finals. The British Davis Cup team-mates lost the first five games against Serbian Nenad Zimonjic and Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France but recovered to win 2-6, 6-3, 10-5.

Murray joins his brother Jamie, who qualified on Tuesday alongside Brazilian partner Bruno Soares, although the siblings cannot meet until the final.