Novak Djokovic suffers shock defeat at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic faced a surprising second-round exit at the Italian Open, falling to 20-year-old Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic in a tightly contested match that ended 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in Rome, reports BritPanorama.
This match marks Djokovic’s first competitive appearance on clay in 2026, as he had been sidelined since mid-March due to a shoulder injury that required significant recovery time. Selected for a bye in the opening round, the six-time champion began strongly, taking the first set with relative ease.
Prizmic displayed remarkable tenacity, overturning the deficit by running down every short ball and finishing with a total of 13 winners. He capitalised on Djokovic’s inability to maintain his form, breaking him at a crucial juncture to take a 3-2 lead in the third set. Djokovic confirmed post-match that he would not play again until Roland Garros begins on May 24, as he aims for an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam singles title.
