JOIN USEdmund sends Djokovic packing
Novak Djokovic crashed out of the Madrid Open on Wednesday as the 12-time Grand Slam champion lost in three sets to Britain's Kyle Edmund.
Edmund had not taken a set off Djokovic in three previous meetings but the Serb is still feeling the affects of elbow surgery and his 23-year-old opponent took full advantage.
Djokovic stormed through the second set on the Manolo Santana court and, at his best, might never have looked back, but he spurned three break points early in the decider and Edmund pounced to win 6-3, 2-6, 6-3.
This was only the third time Edmund had beaten a player ranked as high as world number 12 and in terms of status, Djokovic is by far his biggest scalp yet.
Edmund's barnstorming forehand wreaked havoc throughout and it was no surprise when the winners tally showed the Briton 30-11 ahead by the time Djokovic sent a final backhand long.
Belgium's David Goffin, whom Edmund lost to on clay during Britain's run to Davis Cup glory in 2015, now awaits in the last 16.
Djokovic, meanwhile, is left reviewing another early exit ahead of the French Open later this month. The 30-year-old has shown glimpses of his best this week but those moments have still been few and far between.
Caroline Wozniacki's bid to reclaim the world number one ranking this week ended when she lost to world number 20 Kiki Bertens in the third round.
Bertens, who reached the 2016 French Open semifinals, beat the 27-year-old Dane 6-2 6-2 in an hour to claim the biggest scalp of her career.
Australian Open champion Wozniacki had to win the Madrid title to overhaul Simona Halep in the top spot but her defeat means the Romanian will retain first place.
Juan Martin del Potro made a winning start to his clay-court season by seeing off Damir Dzumhur 6-3, 6-3 in his first match.
Del Potro will take on Dusan Lajovic in the last 16 after the Serbian edged out Richard Gasquet 7-6 (7/1), 7-6 (7/1).
Elsewhere, South Korean rising star Chung Hyeon suffered a shock 6-0, 6-2 first-round thrashing at the hands of Dutchman Robin Haase.
Earlier, Petra Kvitova battled to a 6-3, 7-6 (10/8) victory over Puerto Rico's Monica Puig to register her seventh consecutive win.
Home favourite Garbine Muguruza staged a comeback from a set and a break down to beat Donna Vekic 2-6, 6-4, 6-1 and reach the third round for the first time in her career.
Fourth seed and reigning Italian Open champion Elina Svitolina slumped to a surprise 6-2, 6-7 (3/7), 6-4 loss to Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro in the second round.
reigning champion Simona Halep edged closer to a third consecutive title by beating Belgium's Elise Mertens in the second round.
Halep, the winner here in 2016 and 2017, was made to work harder in the second set on Manolo Santana but the world number one's 6-0, 6-3 victory was never in doubt.
Kristyna Pliskova of the Czech Republic will now await Halep in the last 16.