Novak Djokovic was forced to retire from the quarter final match in Dubai against Feliciano Lopez after losing the first set 3-6 due to an infection on his right eye.
Djokovic did not look comfortable during the match and called for the ATP trainer while he was trailing 1-2. Immediately after losing the first set Djokovic walked up to the chair umpire to tell him about the retirement. It’s the first tournament in more than one year where Djokovic has not reached the final.
Lopez converted his first break point in the opening game of the match as Djokovic made two forehand unforced errors. Lopez won 10 of the first 12 points of the match and arned three break points at 0-40 in the third game but Djokovic rallied to force the game to deuce and held his serve for 1-2.
Both players held their next four service games. At 3-5 Djokovic saved the first of the two break points he faced on Lopez’s set point but the Spanish player converted his second chance for the double break to close out the first set 6-3. Djokovic was affected by the eye problem and made 18 unforced errors to Lopez’s 14 and stuggled against his opponent’s serve.
“It’s an eye problem. I have had it since I arrived in Dubai. It started with an infection and severe allergy. It’s gotten worse. in the last two days. Unfortunately it’s the first time that I have had uch a problem with the eye. I am really sad to finish the tournament this way. I apologize to all the people who came in to watch the match. I also apologize to the tournament director and everybody who came out to support me. I am really sad to end out the tournament this way, but I was forced to”, said a disppointed Djokovic.
It was the first time Djokovic lost a match in 2016. The retirement from the Dubai tournament ended his impressive streak of 17 consecutive finals.
“This is the least of my thoughts at the moment. I just hope that this problem with the eye will fade away in the next couple of days. I have a lot of important events waiting for me in the next period. I am planning the Davis Cup at home, Indian Wells, Miami and the court season”, said Djokovic.
Feliciano Lopez advanced to the semifinal in this ATP tournament but expressed his sadness for Djokovic’s withdrawal.
“It’s very sad when one of the greatest players ever has to retire from a match like that.”
In the past Djokovic has already had problems with his contact lenses.
“I was instructed not to wear lenses because of the fact that lenses are actually not helping this situation. They are making it worse. So I was wearing contacts only during yesterday night’s match. Today I was not wearing them at all”, explained Djokovic
