Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo Upsets Novak Djokovic at Italian Masters 1000

Biography in Rome. Alejandro Tabilo (32nd ATP) defeated Novak Djokovic (1st) 6-2, 6-3 in the third round of the Italian Masters 1000. A perfect day for the left-handed player, who marks many milestones for Chilean tennis after knocking the 24-time Grand Slam champion out of the draw. The national’s first victory against the number one since 2007, the best victory of his career and, in the process, equaling his best result in a tournament of this category, there are some signs of what happened this Sunday at the Foro Italico.

It was a dream at first, because he probably thought hundreds of times since he learned at the beginning of the week that he could face the Serbian in the third round of the tournament. He played loosely, without nerves, as if he was not the best man in history. He missed the first break chance, but Novak offered him a hand and with a double fault he gave up his serve. At 1-0 he took a step forward and not only held serve without problems, but punished Djokovic again with a return.

The two consecutive breaks, and the 4-0 on aggregate, were a situation that no one imagined on the Foro Italico Main Court. Not even the one from the Balkans, who looked at him without finding any explanation for the situation. But the truth is, despite the disbelief of the man who won 24 Grand Slam titles, the answer to why the result was clear. The nationalist entered with a rhythm, aggressive. Fast when you needed to go forward and intelligent when you needed to change the direction of the points. On the other hand, Nole, without spark, always looked like a slower change, unable to surprise but with a point of weekly repetition.

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That collection of differences, and the huge advantage he had already achieved in the first games, allowed the Chilean to steal a set from the world number one for the second time in 16 years. Last year Jarry had achieved it against Alcaraz at Wimbledon and before that, we had to go back to Roland Garros 2008, when Fernando González lost in four sets against Roger Federer. Like Feña in that Open, the opening set was 6-2 for Tabilo.

And as if it was déjà vu, the second set started like the first. Europe did not recover from the blow and lost service again with a double fault. A blow that, although not fatal, made it clear that the player born in Toronto did not want to settle for a set, he wanted to become the first Chilean since 2007 to beat the best player in the ranking ATP. Last time? Also Fernando González, on that historic day in Shanghai, where he beat Roger Federer for the first time in his career.

And although Djokovic put up a fight, Tabilo’s explosiveness and personality did not allow him to bring logic back. He persevered in moments of pressure and when he won 6-2, 6-3, he celebrated with emotion. He knows that he made history and that his name will forever be on the most important pages of Chilean tennis. He not only repeated what González achieved three times in the 2000s, but even surpassed it, as he became the first national in the Open Era to defeat the number one without to give up seats.