Novak Djokovic suffered a defeat at the hands of resilient qualifier Dino Prizmic upon his comeback in the second round of the Italian Open.
The global number four, Djokovic, competed in his initial match since March 12th – notably, his inaugural clay court appearance of the current year – following his absence from multiple competitions due to a shoulder ailment.
Djokovic, a six-time victor in Rome, commenced the match robustly, yet his performance grew strained, and he appeared to be contending with sickness during the second set.
Nonetheless, this should not diminish the achievement of Croatia’s Prizmic, who demonstrated courageous play to overcome the Serbian opponent with scores of 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
The twenty-year-old athlete, who views Djokovic as an inspiration among numerous other players, inscribed “Nole it was a pleasure” on the camera lens following the conclusion of the contest.
Djokovic, having been granted a first-round exemption in Italy, stated post-match that he would refrain from competing prior to the French Open’s commencement on May 24th, an event where he aims to secure an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam singles championship.
“I am certainly not at the optimal condition I desire to contend at the elite echelon and progress significantly,” expressed the 38-year-old.
“I cannot recall the last instance I undertook preparations without encountering any form of physical or health ailments prior to a tournament.”
“Something invariably arises. This represents a somewhat novel situation that I must learn to manage.”
Djokovic, who advanced to the semi-finals at Roland Garros during the previous year, made it to the championship match of the Australian Open in January, where he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in four sets.
He is set to reach his 39th birthday a mere two days prior to the commencement of the French Open.
