Serbia’s Novak Djokovic serves to Slovakia’s Martin Klizan during their Barcelona Open ATP tournament tennis match in Barcelona on April 25, 2018. / AFP PHOTO / Josep LAGO
BARCELONA, Spain — Novak Djokovic lost again, this time falling to 140th-ranked Martin Klizan 6-2, 1-6, 6-3 on Wednesday in the second round of the Barcelona Open.
Djokovic, trying to return to form after a lingering right elbow injury, hasn’t made it past the last 16 in five tournaments this year.
The 12th-ranked Serb got off to a slow start but rebounded to force a third set. He was then broken while trailing 4-3, allowing Klizan to serve out for the victory.
Djokovic decided to play in Barcelona after losing to Dominic Thiem in the third round of the Monte Carlo Masters. He also lost in the second round in Miami and in Indian Wells, and failed to advance past the last 16 at the Australian Open.