Former world No.1 Novak Djokovic showed signs of rediscovering his form with a dominant 6-0 6-1 victory over Dusan Lajovic in the opening round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Monday.
Djokovic’s start of the season was disrupted by an elbow surgery, and has since suffered defeats in consecutive opening matches at Indian Wells and Miami.
But there were no signs of his recent struggles as he kickstarted his claycourt campaign in style to record a victory over fellow Serb Lajovic in just 57 minutes.
Djokovic, a two-time winner at Monte Carlo, dropped just eight points as he wrapped up the first set with his opponent well off the pace.
Lajovic, ranked 93 in the world, offered resistance in the second set to level at 1-1 but failed to capitalize on a break point as the 12-time grand slam winner roared back to book a second round meeting with Borna Coric of Croatia.
Earlier in the day, Japan’s Kei Nishikori came back from a set down to see off Czech 12th seed Tomas Berdych 4-6 6-2 6-1 and reach the second round.
Nishikori, who missed a large part of last season with a wrist injury, started the season in the Challenger Tour events before reaching the second round at Miami.
He was playing close to his best tennis despite calling for a medical timeout for his troublesome wrist.
“It’s not great but first match on clay, you know, I’m expecting little soreness,” Nishikori said.
“Hopefully I have a day off tomorrow. If I have to play tomorrow, I got to be ready tonight.”
The 28-year-old, who is making his first Monte Carlo appearance since 2012, will face Russian Daniil Medvedev in the next round.
World No. 51 Jared Donaldson confronted an umpire after disagreeing with a call made in his first-round defeat by last-year’s finalist Albert Ramos-Vinolas.
While 6-3, 3-2 down, the 21-year-old American became outraged when a serve by the Spaniard was called in by Arnaud Gabas when he believed it was out.
Donaldson eventually lost 6-3 6-3 and apologized to Ramos-Vinolas but refused to shake Gabas’ hand.
Novak Djokovic finds form on return in Monte Carlo
Novak Djokovic finds form on return in Monte Carlo
- Serb returns to courts after early exits at both Indian Wells and Miami
- Former world No.1 has slipped to No. 13 in the world rankings
Patrick Reed keeps his cool to win Dubai Desert Classic by 4 shots
- Andy Sullivan fought back from a shaky front nine to hit a one-under 71 and finish second at 10 under
DUBAI: Patrick Reed was presented with the Dallah Trophy by Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, chairman and chief executive of Emirates Airline & Group, in front of a big crowd at Emirates Golf Club as the American claimed the fourth DP World Tour title of his career with a composed four-shot victory at the 2026 Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
The 35-year-old stayed patient on a testing front nine as he carded eight pars and one dropped shot to reach the turn with his overnight advantage cut in half to two shots.
David Puig completed a hat-trick of birdies from the eighth to briefly sit one back before Reed signed for his first birdie at the 10th.
But when Reed birdied the 13th and Puig dropped a shot on the same hole, the World No. 44 regained his four-shot lead with five holes to play, and he never looked back.
Reed parred his way home for a 14-under-par total to become the sixth American winner of the Dallah trophy with his first Rolex Series event success at Emirates Golf Club.
“It hasn’t fully set in yet. Today was a lot harder than expected; I knew it was going to be,” Reed said.
“I just couldn’t get anything going on the front nine. I think I learned a lot about the round today.
“Instead of keeping my foot on the gas early, I tried to protect that four-shot lead, and then David goes and birdied eight and nine, and shut it down to two.
“Kess (Kessler Karain, caddie) was like, ‘It’s a dogfight. Now let’s get going and shoot under par on the back nine and no one will beat you.’ We were able to get that birdie there on 13 to get to one under and he (Puig) gave me a gift there by bogeying. From there on, it was hit fairways, hit greens and make no mistakes.”
The first movement came at the par-three fourth when Puig salvaged a bogey from a plugged lie. Reed safely found the green with his tee-shot, but the American three-putted as he missed the chance to extend his four-shot lead.
Reed could not improve on 13 under as he continued his par streak, but Puig made his move as the final group reached the turn.
He picked up his first birdie of the day at the eighth, and when he dialed in his approach to six feet for birdie at the ninth, he was two behind at 11 under.
Reed held his nerve to find the par-five 10th green in two, but he had to watch Puig card his third straight birdie at the same hole.
His lead was cut to one, but only briefly, as the American found the cup with a short birdie putt to return to 14 under.
Both men failed to find the green at the par-three 11th, with Reed missing his par putt from 5 feet. Puig had 4 feet to trim the leader’s advantage to one, only to miss his par effort.
The momentum swung back in the American’s favor with a birdie at the 13th, and when his Spanish playing partner, who produced a remarkable par save at the 12th, bogeyed the same hole, Reed was four ahead at 14 under.
Puig’s chance of victory proved even slimmer when he bogeyed the 15th as the leader opened up a five-shot advantage with three to play.
Reed had looks to increase his lead as he finished with five straight pars for his first DP World Tour crown since the 2020 WGC-Mexico Championship.
Andy Sullivan fought back from a shaky front nine as he finished birdie-birdie in his one-under 71 to sit in solo second at 10 under.
Frenchman Julien Guerrier carded an eagle, two birdies and a bogey for his best finish at a Rolex Series event in third at nine under.
Denmark’s Nicolai Hojgaard, Francesco Molinari and Race to Dubai Rankings delivered by DP World leader Jayden Schaper were one shot further back, while Portugal’s Ricardo Gouveia, Englishman Marcus Armitage and Puig, who was given a two-shot penalty for grounding a club in the bunker at the last, finished at seven under.
South African amateur Christiaan Maas was presented with the Emirates Golf Federation’s Leading Amateur award.
