Novak Djokovic booed in Monte Carlo after smashing racket and rowing with referee

Novak Djokovic was booed by the Monte Carlo Masters crowd as he disputed a ball mark with the chair umpire in his third round match. The top seed faced Lorenzo Musetti in front of what appeared to be a large Italian crowd. Fans mocked Djokovic as he unsuccessfully debated a call with Aurélie Tourte, and he later received a racket abuse warning.

Djokovic and Musetti got into a brawl in the second set of their Monte Carlo Masters match, with almost every game against the server. The Italian was serving at 3-4 when the world No.1 thought his opponent's ball had gone out, as the referee came down to check.

But the call followed Musetti as Djokovic tried to make his case, with Tourte admitting that she and the linesman were unable to identify the ball mark the Serb was talking about. "Or or?" the 35-year-old asked the official.

"For me, it's right there, it's the only mark. Do you have the mark?" Tourte responded as Djokovic continued to point for the takedown which he believed came from the ball. The Serb and the referee were barely audible above the crowd as fans jeered and booed seeing the duo embroiled in a debate.

Musetti continued to hold serve for the first time in the second set, leveling it at 4-4. And after the misunderstanding, Djokovic was broken to allow the 21-year-old to serve for the set.

The top seed kept himself alive with another break before Musetti regained control, breaking the Serbian to lead 6-5 with another shot and serving to force a decider. Djokovic reacted as he was broken again, stomping on his racquet as he retreated to his bench at the changeover and folding him in half.