Novak Djokovic falls to stunning five-set defeat to wild card Denis Istomin
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Updated 19/01/2017 at 14:33 GMT
Denis Istomin pulled off one of the great all-time Grand Slam shocks as the wild card and world number 117 defeated six-time Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic in the second round in Melbourne.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic reacts after a point against Uzbekistan's Denis Istomin
Image credit: AFP
In possibly the biggest upset of his career, the defending champion went down 7-6(8) 5-7 2-6 7-6(5) 6-4.
"All the credit to Denis for playing amazing, he deserved to win," said Djokovic.
There was intensity, of course. We played four-and-a-half hours. It's just that, you know, it's one of these days when you don't feel that great on the court, don't have much rhythm, and the player you're playing against is feeling the ball very well. So, you know, that's sport. I started the season very well. Again, it's a tennis match. On a given day, you can lose. I mean, nothing is impossible. What can I do? I did try my best till the last shot, but it didn't work.
"At the moment I just want to go home, spend time with my family, and that's all," he said, adding that the defeat was hurting him as much as any in the past.
"Of course. I'm not used to losing in Australian Open second round. I've always played so well. Throughout the last 10 years, I've won six titles here. This court has been so nice to me. I enjoyed it very much. Of course, it's disappointing. But the end of the day I have to accept it."
Istomin let out a huge roar of delight when he ensured Djokovic's earliest exit from the tournament in more than a decade, the 12-times Grand Slam champion sending a service return long to end the contest after four hours and 50 minutes.
"First of all I feel sorry for Novak. I was playing so good today," Istomin said on court. "I mean, I surprised myself also today. I want to thank my team ... who do a good job. Amazing. So much emotion on my mind so I cannot hold it you know but I want to say thanks very much for coming to support me."
Istomin was watched from the stands by his mother Klaudiya, who has coached him throughout his career.
"She said 'Good job'," he revealed with a grin. "Thanks to my mother, she was always believing in me. She was always saying, 'Just keep going and just practice'."
World number two Djokovic lost the first set in a tie-break to the Uzbek, after an opening game which lasted a full 16 minutes.
He responded by taking the next two sets but again on a tie-break in the fourth, Istomin's big hitting proved the difference.
And Djokovic was eliminated in the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time since Wimbledon in 2008 courtesy of a solitary break in the fifth. It is the earliest he has been knocked out of the Australian Open since 2006, when he lost in the first round aged 18.
The Serb came into the fortnight looking to wrest back world number one status from Andy Murray but now faces seeing his big rival win in Melbourne for the first time, with Murray the clear favourite for the tournament.
The loss to Istomin is the second time in three Grand Slams that Djokovic has fallen victim to a huge shock after he lost to American Sam Querrey at Wimbledon last year.
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Highlights: Djokovic knocked out in seismic shock as Istomin goes through
The wildcard, who hit 63 winners, edged the first set but simply refused to fold when second seed Djokovic hit back to win the second and third sets. Clinching the fourth on another tiebreaker to send the match into a decider, Istomin grabbed an early break in the fifth and held his nerve to deliver a famous victory.
"I mean it was tough, since third set I get cramping in my leg so I don't know how I hold it," he added. "But I was physically normal today." After the biggest win of his career, Istomin moves onto a third-round meeting with Spaniard Pablo Carreno Busta.
Studio analysis: What does this mean for Andy Murray?
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