Playing for the first time since February, after skipping the US hard-court swing due to being without a coronavirus vaccination, Djokovic was beaten in just under three hours.

The Serbian lost 6-3 6-7 (5-7) 6-1 after he faced 20 break-points.

He was broken on no fewer than nine occasions as the world number 46 Fokina recovered from a major setback in the second set to score the best win of his career.

Djokovic is clearly in need of more match practice if he is to end a torrid year — which saw him deported prior to the Australian Open in January — by improving on his 20 grand slam titles.

A two-time winner in Monte Carlo, Djokovic was staring at a swift defeat when he lost the first set and was then immediately broken at the start of the second.

The Spaniard showed his inexperience with a needless dive at the start of the seventh game of the set.

This prompted injury fears and enabled Djokovic to reel off 10 points in a row as he broke back to love to wrest the upper-hand.

The momentum swung back in Fokina’s direction when Djokovic, serving for the set, conjured four unforced errors to allow his opponent to break back and ultimately force a tie-break.

But having come back from 4-2 down to win the breaker, Djokovic’s recent inactivity told as he was broken three more times in a one-sided deciding set.

Britain’s Dan Evans also reached the second round after securing a 6-0, 7-6 (7-4) win over Benjamin Bonzi of France.