• Djokovic beaten by world No117 Denis Istomin at Australian Open • ‘I was not pleased with my performance overall,’ says world No2

Professional rigour demands Andy Murray must not allow his hopes of winning the Australian Open for the first time to rise after Novak Djokovic’s shock defeat but there can be little doubt the player who recently deposed the Serb as the world No1 is now the outright favourite.

Novak Djokovic stunned as Australian Open title defence ends against Denis Istomin Read more

When the world No117 Denis Istomin beat the defending champion in five sets in the second round, it was the Uzbek’s first win over him in six attempts – and the biggest upset on the Tour since the American Sam Querrey – Murray’s opponent on Friday – put Djokovic out of Wimbledon in the third round last year.

That paved the way for Murray to win his second Wimbledon. The 30-year-old Istomin, who made the tournament on a wildcard, may have replicated the Querrey favour in Melbourne after beating Djokovic 7-6 (10-8), 5-7, 2-6, 7-6 (7-5), 6-4 in four hours and 48 minutes in front of a disbelieving crowd.

Djokovic was gracious in defeat but seemed more philosophical than he might have been a year ago when he was moving towards a realistic charge at a calendar grand slam after beating Murray in the 2016 final. The 29-year-old Serb, who was distractedly whistling his TV promotional tune, Be Happy, after losing the first set, said: “I’m not used to losing in the Australian Open second round. The last 10 years, I’ve won six titles here. It’s disappointing but I have to accept it.

“All credit to Denis. He was a better player in the clutch moments. He stepped it up, played aggressive, served very well, very precise. It’s a tennis match. On a given day, you can lose. Nothing is impossible. There are over a 100 players in the main draw. The quality of tennis keeps rising each year. There was not much I could do. I was not pleased with my performance overall.”

Djokovic hit nine double faults and 72 unforced errors, alongside 14 aces and 68 winners, numbers that did not compare favourably with Istomin’s, who struck three double faults, 17 aces, 61 unforced errors and 63 winners.

The winner paid credit to the architect of his victory – his mother and coach, Klaudiya Istomina. “Thanks Mum,” he said, adding later: “When your family is part of your team, it’s great. I am lucky my mother is coaching me. The other good thing is I don’t need to pay the coach extra. After all these years together, we have good relationship. We understand each other very well.”

Novak Djokovic finds wildcard Istomin holding all the aces at Australian Open Read more

A doctor told Istomin a broken leg from a car accident in 2001 might seriously wreck his career but his mother, “always believed in me. She said: ‘Just keep going.’”

As for beating Djokovic, Istomin said: “If you don’t think you have a chance, then there’s no reason to come on court. It is unreal. To beat Novak in five sets …”

He next plays the Spaniard Pablo Carreño Busta, the 30th seed who put out Kyle Edmund 6-2, 6-4, 6-2. The Briton would have fancied his chances against an opponent 71 places below him in the world rankings.