Champ Djokovic goes down to Vesely

Defending champion Novak Djokovic was stunned 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 by Czech Jiri Vesely, the world 55, in Wednesday's second round of the Monte Carlo Masters.

Djokovic, winner of two of the last three editions in the Principality and the player who has dominated the ATP rankings over the past two seasons, was unable to mount a recovery against an opponent who got the upper hand by winning the opening set.

Djokovic came to the court with 22 consecutive wins in Masters 1000 play, with his last defeat coming in August in Cincinnati against Roger Federer.

The world number one had won his last 14 matches and holds four titles already in 2016, including the US Masters double from last month in Indian Wells and Miami.

Meanwhile clay aces Stanislas Wawrinka and Rafael Nadal started their spring seasons in enviable form by booking spots in the third round. Reigning Roland Garros champion Wawrinka notched up a 7-6 (2), 7-5 victory over Philipp Kohlschreiber.

Nadal, seeded fifth, emerged a 6-3, 6-3 winner over Briton Aljaz Bedene as the Spaniard tries to recover the form which saw him dominate clay for most of a decade.

But Bosnian Damir Dzum­hur pulled off a huge upset with his defeat of Czech sixth seed Tomas Berdych 6-4, 6-7 (1/7), 6-3. It marked only the second career win for the 99th-ranked underdog over a top 10 opponent.

Number four Wawrinka will line up in the third round against French 15th seed Gilles Simon. Nadal will play Austrian Dominic Thiem, who fought back to defeat Japan's Taro Daniel 4-6, 6-2, 6-0.