Novak Djokovic’s mission to win a 100th ATP Tour title is one of the key talking points of this week’s Monte Carlo Masters.
And, while the third seed is undoubtedly one of the favourites to lift the title this week, a significant obstacle could be standing in his way.
Monte Carlo has not been Djokovic’s happiest hunting ground in recent years – can he reverse a strange trend?
Two titles
After defeats to Rafael Nadal in the 2009 and 2012 finals, Djokovic finally beat the Spaniard in the 2013 final to lift the title for the first time, ending his rival’s staggering 46-match win streak in Monte Carlo.
Two years later, Djokovic would then win the title for a second time, beating former world No 4 Tomas Berdych in three sets.
Only five men in the Open Era – including Nadal – have won more Monte Carlo titles, and his triumphs are notable considering that fellow rival Roger Federer went 0-4 in his Monte Carlo finals.
However, with *only* two titles to his name, this is technically Djokovic’s weakest Masters 1000 event.
Djokovic has triumphed at every other Masters event on at least three occasions, with the Madrid Open and Cincinnati Open (three titles) his next events in terms of titles won.
Should Djokovic triumph in Monte Carlo this week, he would become the first man to win all nine Masters events on at least three occasions; no other man has even done it once.
Win percentage
Djokovic is making his 18th Monte Carlo appearance this week – a new record, having previously been level with Nadal on 17.
And, his record of 39 match wins at the event is second only to Nadal – though his wins are matched by 15 losses at the tournament.
Djokovic’s 39-15 record gives him a Monte Carlo win percentage of 72.2%, and while that seems impressive on the outset, it is an outlier for the Serbian.
By quite some margin, it is the lowest win percentage he holds at any Masters 1000 tournament.
His next lowest win percentage is at the Madrid Open, where he holds a 76.9% (30-9) record, while he holds an impressive 85% (68-12) record in Rome, the final Masters event of the clay swing.
Djokovic’s highest Masters 1000 win percentage comes in Shanghai, where he holds an 86.7% (39-6) record.
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Recent dip
Djokovic was a semi-finalist in Monte Carlo a year ago, but that run – which was ended with a defeat to Casper Ruud – was his best result at the tournament since his last title back in 2015.
Since beating Berdych in the final a decade ago, Djokovic has reached just three quarter-finals in Monte Carlo.
Djokovic was beaten in the last eight by David Goffin in 2017 and Daniil Medvedev in 2019 and, outside of his 2024 showing, has endured a string of early losses in Monte Carlo over the past decade.
As the defending champion and world No 1 in 2016, he was stunned by Jiri Vesely, while other surprise losses include defeats to Dan Evans in 2021 and Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in 2022.
His recent struggles contrast with an impressive string of results that saw him reach seven straight semi-finals in seven appearances from 2008 to 2015; he withdrew from the event in 2011.
Can he return his results around?
A return to the last four in 2024 was undoubtedly a positive for Djokovic, who, with Nadal now retired, is undoubtedly the most successful active clay-courter on the ATP.
After a return to form at the Miami Open, the Serbian also has a rather advantageous draw in Monte Carlo over the coming week.
Round two opponent Alejandro Tabilo beat the world No 5 in Rome last year but has only won three matches in 2025 – including a three-set victory over Stan Wawrinka in his opener here.
Further on, he could face Grigor Dimitrov – who he is 13-1 against – in the third round, before a quarter-final against eighth seed Alex de Minaur.
That is among the safest paths he could have received and could aid him in his quest to turn around his Monte Carlo struggles.
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