Brkic/Escobar Oust Djokovic/Pospisil In Adelaide

The first match of the season for Tomislav Brkic and Gonzalo Escobar will certainly be a memorable one. The unseeded duo eliminated Novak Djokovic and Vasek Pospisil 4-6, 6-3, 10-5 to reach the second round of the Adelaide International 1.

The standing-room-only crowd backed Djokovic, with several fans waving Serbian flags and encouraging the No. 1 player in the Pepperstone ATP Rankings. But Brkic and Escobar remained calm under pressure, saving six of the seven break points they faced in their one-hour, 29-minute victory.

Djokovic and Pospisil had their share of high moments in the clash, including an impressive volleying display early in the second set, which led to a team chest bump. But they fell behind early in the Match Tie-break and never recovered.

This was Djokovic’s first doubles match since last year’s Laver Cup, where he partnered Matteo Berrettini past Alex de Minaur and Jack Sock. The World No. 1 will now turn his focus to his first singles match of the year against Frenchman Constant Lestienne.