Six-time champion Novak Djokovic "ran out of gas" in a straight sets loss to Benoit Paire, while the red-hot Juan Martin Del Potro won his opening match at the ATP Miami Masters.
It was another setback for the Serbian star Djokovic as he bids to return from the elbow injury that sidelined him for six months and finally saw him have "minor" surgical intervention after a disappointing Australian Open.
"I'm trying, but it's not working," said Djokovic, who lost his opener 6-3, 6-4. "That's all it is. I mean, obviously I'm not feeling great when I'm playing this way."
"Of course I want to be able to play as well as I want to play. Just, it's impossible at the moment. That's all."
"I felt I started the match well, first six games," Djokovic said. "Then I just ran out of gas. He was serving well. I just wasn't able to break him down. He was just coming up with the good shots at the right time. It happened very fast."
Djokovic had also lost his opening match at the Indian Wells Masters last week. But he was encouraged in Miami this week to find himself playing without pain for the first time "in years."
"I obviously wasn't ready for that."
"That was the plan," he said when asked if he felt ready to head into the Monte Carlo Masters Aril 14-22. "But let's see what happens."
- Del Potro notches another win -
=================================