| Istomin |
Defending champion Novak Djokovic was
sensationally knocked out in the second round of the Australian Open by
unheralded Uzbek Denis Istomin in a major shock on Thursday, AFP reports.
The 117th-ranked Istomin ousted the six-time winner 7-6 (10/8), 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5), 6-4 in 4hr 48min on Rod Laver Arena.
It was the world number two’s earliest
Grand Slam exit since Wimbledon 2008, when he was beaten by Marat Safin
in the second round.
It was also only Djokovic’s second loss
to a player outside the top 100 in seven years, after his defeat to
145th-ranked Juan Martin del Potro at last year’s Rio Olympics.
“He played obviously above his level.
You got to give him credit for that,” Djokovic said. “Many things came
together for him today. He’s a well-deserved winner.
“He deserved to win. No doubt, he was a better player in the clutch moments. There’s not much I could do.”
Istomin, who got into the main draw as
the winner of the Asia wildcard play-off in December, said it was the
high point of his playing career.
“It is the biggest win for me, and it means so much,” Istomin said, struggling with the emotions of his achievement.
“So now I can feel that I can play with these guys and to be with them on the same level.”
He added: “I feel sorry for Novak. I was playing so good today. I mean, I also surprised myself today.”
Serbia’s Djokovic was bidding to win a
record seventh Australian Open title and overtake Australian Roy
Emerson, who won six in the 1960s.
It was a miserable start to the Grand
Slam season for Djokovic, who surrendered his top world ranking to Andy
Murray last year and fell to second in the world for the first time
since June 2014.
Istomin played at an extraordinary level
from the opening game, which took 16 minutes — signalling the impending
struggle for Djokovic.
Last year Djokovic survived an epic
four-and-a-half hour five-setter against Frenchman Gilles Simon in the
Australian Open fourth round, but this time there was no escape.
Istomin broke the defending champion’s
serve in the seventh game before Djokovic broke back in the following
game as the marathon first set went to a tiebreaker.
Djokovic had two set points but it was Istomin who grabbed the set 10-8, ending an 85-minute struggle.
The 12-time Grand Slam champion had more
early problems when he clutched his left hamstring after stretching for
a volley in the third game of the second set, and called for the
trainer at the next changeover.
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