Novak Djokovic suffered a shock early exit at the ATP Rome Masters, falling to a young qualifier in his opening match.
On May 9, the 38-year-old third seed, who had a first-round bye, faced 20-year-old qualifier Dino Prizmic in the second round. After taking the first set 6-2, Djokovic lost momentum and dropped the next two sets 2-6, 4-6, ultimately bowing out of the tournament.
Djokovic experienced a physical decline after the opening set, and by the decisive third set, he was unable to mount a comeback, allowing the young opponent to claim the biggest win of his career.
“I have huge respect for Novak. He’s my idol, so this match means everything to me,” said Prizmic after the victory, still processing the result.
The pair previously met at the 2024 Australian Open, when Prizmic was just 18 and lost 1-3. This time, the victory belonged to the rising star. Djokovic acknowledged his opponent’s potential: “I knew two years ago he had enormous potential. I hope he stays healthy, and if everything goes well, he can climb much higher in the rankings. He played at a very high level today. I talked to him after the match and told him his forehand has improved a lot. He should keep pushing forward.”
For Djokovic, the 2026 season has been far from smooth. After a fourth-round exit at Indian Wells in March, a right shoulder injury forced him to withdraw from three consecutive Masters events—Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid. His return in Rome has been less than optimal, and Djokovic admitted his preparation has been far from ideal.
In recent years, Djokovic had played the Geneva tournament before the French Open, but this year he revealed he will head directly to Paris after Rome to focus on the Grand Slam at Roland Garros.
At 38, each tournament is a challenge. “I don’t remember the last time I prepared for a tournament without some physical issue. There’s always something,” Djokovic said. “This is the new reality I have to deal with. It’s frustrating, but I made the decision to do my best under these conditions. That’s the reality. I can clearly see my shortcomings—I’m not at the level I want to be—but you have to start somewhere. You just adapt and work with what you have.”