Djokovic Upset by Qualifier Prižmić at Italian Open
Novak Djokovic Italian Open loss 2026
Novak Djokovic suffered a stunning early exit from the Italian Open on Friday, May 8, 2026, falling to Croatian qualifier Dino Prižmić in a grueling three-set match. The world number four, who was competing in his first tournament since March following a persistent right shoulder injury, ultimately succumbed to the 20-year-old with a final score of 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
Despite a dominant start in the opening set where he appeared to regain his trademark rhythm, the 24-time Grand Slam champion struggled significantly with his movement and timing as the match progressed on the red clay of Rome. Prižmić, ranked 79th in the world, maintained his composure to secure the biggest victory of his career by striking an ace on his first match point, marking the first time in history that Djokovic has been defeated in his opening match at the Foro Italico.
Following the defeat, a visibly frustrated Djokovic admitted to reporters that he felt physically compromised and lacked the sharpness required to compete at the highest level. The Serbian icon noted that he was consistently late to the ball throughout the final two sets, stating specifically that he felt he was missing a half-step during critical rallies.
This lack of explosiveness was particularly evident when he attempted to defend against Prižmić’s powerful groundstrokes, which frequently caught the top seed out of position. While Djokovic wore a supportive brace on his right shoulder throughout the contest, he declined to blame the injury directly for the loss, instead emphasizing that his overall match fitness is currently not where it needs to be with the French Open only two weeks away.
The result raises significant questions about the veteran’s preparation for the upcoming clay-court major in Paris, where he is the defending finalist from the previous year. Having skipped tournaments in Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid to focus on his recovery, Djokovic now heads to Roland Garros with only one competitive match on clay under his belt this season.
He expressed uncertainty regarding whether his body would be fully ready for the rigors of five-set matches by the time the tournament begins on May 24. Meanwhile, Prižmić moves on to the third round to face either Ugo Humbert or Vit Kopriva, further cementing his reputation as one of the most promising young talents on the ATP Tour.
