Novak Djokovic said he 'collapsed' and 'ran out of gas' as he slumped to his first opening match loss since 2018

• Novak Djokovic has barely played this year due to him not being vaccinated against COVID-19.
• And after bombing out of the Monte Carlo Masters, the Serbian blamed his lack of stamina.

Novak Djokovic blamed his lack of stamina after losing his first competitive tennis match since February on Tuesday.

The Serbian had played just three matches this year because of restrictions over his COVID-19 vaccination status and bombed out in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday.

After a first-round bye, Djokovic was beaten 6-3, 6-7 (5-7), 6-1 by world number 46 Alejandro Davidovich Fokina of Spain.

"I fought my way through to the third set," Djokovic told reporters after the defeat. "But then I collapsed
physically. I just couldn't move anymore."

It is the first time Djokovic has lost an opener at a tournament since 2018, according to the BBC.

"I just ran out of the gas completely," he added. "Just couldn't really stay in the rally with him. If you can't stay in the rally, not feeling your legs on the clay, it's mission impossible.

"I don't like that kind of feeling I experienced in the third [set], but I'm going to look with my team into reasons why that was the case and go back to the drawing board."

Davidovich Fokina, 22, described his win over one of his boyhood idols as "special."

"I grew up watching Nole and I'm a big fan of his," said the Spaniard, who badly cut himself during the match.

"I knew Nole didn't have the confidence because he didn't play a lot this season. I had my chances in the beginning of the match and I took them.

"When he won the second set it was tough mentally, but I work hard to be focused. I had to be prepared for the war."

Djokovic's refusal to get vaccinated against COVID-19 ultimately saw him miss the Australia Open in January.

Though he was initially given a special license to play unvaccinated, it was later revoked and he was then deported from the country for providing false information about his whereabouts prior to the tournament on his visa.

Since, the world number one has played in just one tournament, the Dubai Open, where he lost in the quarterfinals to Jiří Veselý.

The European clay court season, however, is likely to provide him with more opportunities to play, with COVID-19 restrictions having been eased across much of the continent.

The Serb said after his loss to Davidovich Fokina that he hopes to rediscover his form before the French Open, which kicks off on May 22.

"I have to accept the defeat and keep working and hopefully build my form for Roland Garros," he said.

"I am testing my engine, so to say, and building my game, so it will take obviously some time, some matches to really get in the groove and find the competitive play that I really need.

"Roland Garros is the ultimate goal in clay court season."