World number two Carlos Alcaraz took aim at his critics on Monday after winning the Monte Carlo Masters at the weekend.
Carlos Alcaraz won his first Monte Carlo Masters title on Sunday with a 3-6, 6-1, 6-0 victory over the Italian Lorenzo Musetti.
The fifth-ranked Djokovic struggled to find his rhythm in a 6-3, 6-4 loss to Chilean Alejandro Tabilo in the second round, making an inauspicious start to his clay season.
Carlos Alcaraz said Sunday that the pressure to reclaim the world number one ranking from the suspended Jannik Sinner has had a negative impact on his form this season.
The 12th-ranked Greek, who will return to top 10 on Monday, also won the title in the principality in 2021 and 2022.
Novak Djokovic admitted he was "not having a great season at all" after he was knocked out of the Monte Carlo Masters by Casper Ruud in the semi-finals.
Casper Ruud finally defeated Novak Djokovic at the sixth attempt on Saturday, setting up a Monte Carlo Masters title showdown with Stefanos Tsitsipas.
An inspired Stefanos Tsitsipas handed Jannik Sinner his second loss of the season on Saturday as the two-time champion reached the Monte Carlo Masters final 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
World number one Novak Djokovic said his "feeling was great" as he flew past Roman Safiullin in straight sets at the Monte Carlo Masters on Tuesday, after third seed Carlos Alcaraz withdrew from the event due to injury.
Stefanos Tsitsipas' bid for a third consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title was ended after a straight-sets loss to American Taylor Fritz in the quarter-finals on Friday, while Daniil Medvedev was knocked out by Holger Rune.
Djokovic, who is not vaccinated against COVID-19, was unable to play at Indian Wells and Miami last month as he failed to obtain a waiver to enter the United States
Stefanos Tsitsipas said he is relishing a return to the European claycourt season as the Greek world number three targets a third consecutive Monte Carlo Masters title in the build-up to the French Open starting next month.
Andy Murray surrendered a 4-0 lead in the decisive third set on his way to defeat at the Monte Carlo Masters on Thursday as the world number one's 2017 season hit another setback.
The top two players in the world, Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic, both have something to prove as the pair return to the tour from injury to play this week's Monte Carlo Masters.
