Still no title in 2022. Novak Djokovic was playing "his" tournament this week - and that of his brother - in Belgrade.
An ATP 250 tournament supposed to launch its chaotic start to the season.
The Serb finally stumbled on the last step.
The world number one lost Sunday against Russian Andrey Rublev, seeded number two and 8th player in the world (6-2, 6-7 (4/6), 6-0).
Djokovic, who was looking to bounce back from his opening defeat in Monte Carlo, was betrayed by his physical condition in the final set.
As in his three previous meetings on his land in Belgrade, against his compatriots Lazlo Djere (N.50) and Miomir Kecmanovic (N.38) then against the Russian Karen Khachanov (N.26), Djokovic started the game badly , giving up his serve twice and letting the first set slip away after more than thirty minutes of play.
His first duel of the year against a top 10
Carried by more than 8,000 supporters, it picked up the score after a second marathon run of more than an hour.
But having drawn on his last reserves to win the decisive game after wasting six set points at 5-4 and 6-5, he had no energy left for the last round, lost on a bubble.
The thirteenth of his career, who had not experienced such a rout since the Roland-Garros final against Rafael Nadal in October 2020;
We will have to wait a little longer to see Nole lift a trophy.
Since his planetary imbroglio at the Australian Open, "Novax" stammers his tennis.
Defeated last week in Monte Carlo by the Spaniard Davidovich Fokina, he played his eighth game of the season this Sunday and his first duel against a member of the top 10. The construction site promises to be colossal one month before his first big meeting. you of the year at Roland-Garros (May 22-June 5).