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World No. 1 Novak Djokovic's return to tennis was shortlived as he was knocked out by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the second round.
Meanwhile, former World No. 1 Kim Clijsters, who came out of retirement in early 2020, has decided to call it quits for the third time.
Rafael Nadal won't be participating in next week's Barcelona Open, while 2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem will be competing at the Estoril Open later this month. Most of the top WTA players have confirmed their participation in the Italian Open and the French Open.
Here's a round-up of the day's news:
Novak Djokovic upset by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina at Monte-Carlo Masters
Novak Djokovic returned to competitive action for the first time in almost two months this week. After a first-round bye at the Monte-Carlo Masters, he was up against Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in the second round.
The World No. 1 was tested right from the start and staged a fightback to win the second set after dropping the first. However, Djokovic was unable to sustain the momentum and lost the match 3-6, 7-6 (5), 1-6.
The Serb wasn't happy with his physical conditioning as he felt tired towards the end of the match. Djokovic will now shift his focus to the Serbia Open next week.
Kim Clijsters retires for the third time
Former World No. 1 and four-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters came out of retirement in 2020. The Belgian played a couple of tournaments before the onset of the pandemic, but lost in the first round both times. She competed in two other tournaments after the resumption of the tour but failed to win a match.
Clijsters underwent knee surgery in October 2020 and contracted COVID-19 in January 2021. She returned to action at the Chicago Fall Tennis Classic in September, but lost in the first round. Her final tournament was the Indian Wells Open, where she lost in the opening round yet again.
In an Instagram update, Clijsters now announced her retirement.
"Hi guys, I want to share with you that I have decided to no longer play official tournaments. I can’t wait to see what new adventures will cross my path. Thank you to everyone who has supported me over the past two years!"
This is the third time that Clijsters has stepped away from the game.
Rafael Nadal to miss next week's Barcelona Open
Rafael Nadal's team has confirmed that he won't be participating in next week's Barcelona Open. The Spaniard suffered a rib stress fracture at the Indian Wells Open and as per his medical team is expected to be out of action for around six weeks. His team told Reuters:
“Rafa has just been withdrawn from the entry list in Barcelona. We don’t know yet when he will be at his first tournament on clay this year. Hopefully, soon.”
Nadal's exact date of return remains unknown. The 21-time Major champion made a dream start to the year, winning three titles, including the Australian Open. His winning streak ended in the final of the Indian Wells Open against Taylor Fritz, during which he aggravated his injury.
Top WTA stars comfirmed for the Italian Open and Roland Garros
The who's who of the WTA are set to participate in this year's Italian Open and Roland Garros. The entry list for the two tournaments is out, with everyone ranked in the top 40 set to compete in Rome and all the top 100 players in Paris.
The only notable abseentes are Serena and Venus Williams. The duo have been away from the tour for months now and their rankings aren't high enough to secure direct entry. They could get a wildcard, but it appears unlikely they'll compete on clay this year. Serena Williams did recently hint at a comeback at Wimbledon.
Dominic Thiem to compete at the Estoril Open
2020 US Open champion Dominic Thiem has confirmed his participation in the Estoril Open. The tournament begins on April 25.
Thiem was sidelined for months due to injury issues. He made his comeback at the Marbella Challenger, but lost in the first round before testing positive for COVID-19, forcing him to withdraw from the Grand Prix Hassan II. Thiem's next scheduled tournament is the Serbia Open, which starts on April 18.
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