Dan Evans hands Novak Djokovic first defeat of the year

Novak Djokovic's perfect year has come to an end, as he was defeated by Dan Evans in a third-round matchup at the Monte Carlo Masters. 

Heading into the contest, Djokovic had a 10-0 record for 2021, including winning the Australian Open, but he faced an immediate deficit against Evans, as his British opponent managed to earn a 3-0 lead in the first set. 

Evans held on to win 6-4, but then Djokovic came back strong in the second set, taking a 3-0 lead. That did not deter Evans, who fought back and managed to eliminate Djokovic with a 7-5 win.

The win is the biggest of Evans' career, but after the match, the 30-year-old, who is currently ranked 26th worldwide, said he hadn't yet fully processed the victory.

"It probably hasn't sunk in yet, I couldn't quite believe that last ball went over the net. It nearly didn't," Evans said. "It's clearly a big win. That's the biggest thing, you've got to believe you can win."

In just his second match since his Australian Open win, Djokovic looked rusty in the loss, as he was unable to gain control of the match from Evans. 

Evans will play 11th-seeded David Goffin in his first-ever Masters' quarterfinals.