Novak Djokovic Falls in Early Rounds of Rome Masters
After a two-month absence, the Serb cracked under pressure against Dino Prizmic, ranked 79th in the world, on Friday.
Published on May 8, 2026, at 20:14, updated at 20:22, with a reading time of 1 minute.
Novak Djokovic faced off against Dino Prizmic in Rome on May 8, 2026, losing in three sets (2-6, 6-2, 6-4). The world number 4 struggled physically, experiencing leg fatigue and what seemed to be gastrointestinal issues.
During his 19th appearance at the Rome Masters, Djokovic suffered a defeat in the first round for the first time in his career. This loss came after a break from the game due to a shoulder injury sustained at Indian Wells.
At 20 years old, Prizmic achieved the biggest win of his young career by upsetting Djokovic. Djokovic now has two weeks to improve his physical condition before the start of the French Open, which he considers his ultimate goal to showcase his best tennis.
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