BELGRADE (Reuters) – Novak Djokovic crashed out of his own tournament after Russia’s Aslan Karatsev beat him 7-5 4-6 6-4 on Saturday to reach the Serbia Open final and avenge the Australian Open semi-final defeat by the world number one.
Djokovic suffered his second succesive shock exit on red clay in quick succession after he was beaten by Briton Dan Evans in the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters last week, having failed to convert a barrage of break points against Karatsev.
The Russian will meet either Japan’s Daniel Taro or Italian Matteo Berrettini in Sunday’s final at Djokovic’s tennis centre in downtown Belgrade by the Danube river.
(Writing by Zoran Milosavljevic; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
