Who is Novak Djokovic’s first Hellenic Championship opponent? Nemesis Alejandro Tabilo
Novak Djokovic has contested a limited schedule throughout 2025, though it comes as little surprise to see him competing at the Hellenic Championship in Athens this week.
Although it is only a 250-level event, the tournament holds huge significance for the tennis icon; he now resides in Athens with his family, while his brother, Djordje, serves as the event’s tournament director.
Djokovic will be eyeing a strong run in the Greek capital, though the 24-time Grand Slam champion has been handed a fascinating early test against Alejandro Tabilo — an opponent that has proven troublesome for the Serbian in the past.
Who is Alejandro Tabilo?
Born in Canada, 28-year-old Tabilo has represented the nation of his parents’ birth since 2017 and has become an established figure on the ATP Tour in recent years.
The Chilean reached a career-high of world No 19 in July 2024 and is the winner of three ATP Tour titles, triumphing at the Auckland Open and Mallorca Championships in 2024, and the Chengdu Open this September.
Tabilo’s victory in Chengdu saw him come through qualifying and ultimately save championship points in the final against top seed Lorenzo Musetti, a triumph that had snapped an astonishing dip in form.
After finishing 2024 at 22nd in the ATP Rankings, Tabilo lost his first six matches of the 2025 season and held a poor 5-13 win-loss record heading into Chengdu, dropping to 122nd in the world.
He rose back inside the top 100 after his triumph at the ATP 250 event and is currently ranked 89th in the world, with a 12-16 record for the year.
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Even with his Chengdu success, it has still been a challenging year for Tabilo.
However, one of his wins this year did come over Djokovic, and he is part of a select group of men with a unique record versus the former world No 1.
Head to Head
Djokovic and Tabilo have met twice, and, surprisingly, it is the Chilean who has prevailed both times.
Tabilo first triumphed when the two faced off in the second round of the Italian Open in 2024, with the star sealing a stunning 6-2, 6-3 win over Djokovic.
And, it was a similar story when the two met in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters earlier this year, with Tabilo claiming a 6-3, 6-4 victory against the Serbian.
Currently, the 28-year-old is one of just three men to have won multiple meetings against Djokovic without ever tasting defeat, alongside former world No 1 Marat Safin and Jiri Vesely.
An indoor hard court will heavily favour Djokovic when they meet once again in Athens, though Tabilo’s two previous wins certainly add an extra layer of intrigue in this match.
Athens campaign so far
While top-seeded Djokovic has received a bye into the second round in Athens, Tabilo has already taken to the court in the Greek capital.
The world No 89 began his campaign on Sunday against Australian star Adam Walton, and was pushed to the brink inside the Telekom Center.
Tabilo prevailed 7-6(7), 6-7(6), 7-5 in a match that lasted just over three hours to book this latest meeting against Djokovic.
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