Novak Djokovic Crashes Out Early In Rome, Raises Injury Concerns Before French Open

Novak Djokovic’s return to clay lasted just one match and it came with more questions than answers ahead of the French Open.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion crashed out of the Italian Open on Friday after suffering a stunning 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 defeat to Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic, a 20-year-old who grew up idolising the Serbian legend.

For Prizmic, it was the biggest win of his young career.

For Djokovic, it was unfamiliar territory.

The six-time Rome champion had never before lost his opening match at the Italian Open across 18 previous appearances. But this time, after taking the first set comfortably, the wheels slowly came off.

And Prizmic sensed it immediately to take control of the tie.

“Big respect for Novak, he’s my idol, so it was definitely

a great match for me,” Prizmic said afterward.

The Croatian had already announced himself with a win over world No. 6 Ben Shelton in Madrid last month. This victory, though, was on an entirely different level.

Meanwhile, playing for the first time since his fourth-round defeat to Jack Draper at Indian Wells in March, Djokovic arrived in Rome after withdrawing from Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid due to injury concerns.

Shoulder strapping was visible throughout the match, but the bigger concern came in his post-match comments.

“I don’t recall the last time in the last couple of years of preparation where I didn’t have any physical issues coming into a tournament,” Djokovic admitted.

“It’s always something. It’s kind of a new reality that I have to deal with.”

Having lost his opening match at both the Monte Carlo and Madrid Masters events last year, this is the second year in a row that Djokovic will head to Roland Garros having failed to win a single match in any of the three ATP Masters clay events.

The Serbian also expressed doubt over competing in the Geneva Open leading up to the French Open, in what came across as an effort to conserve his fitness.

(with agency inputs)