Novak Djokovic falls to Italian Open upset against Dino Prižmić after apparent stomach issues

ROME — Novak Djokovic is out of the Italian Open, losing his first match in two months to the Croatian qualifier Dino Prižmić.

Having been out injured since losing to Jack Draper at the BNP Paribas Open at Indian Wells, Calif., in early March, Djokovic wore strapping on his shoulder and ultimately succumbed to a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 defeat to the 20-year-old world No. 79.

It was illness more than injury that appeared to hamper Djokovic on Friday, as he faded badly after winning the first set and seemed to be struggling with a stomach issue.

Djokovic, 38, was barely moving between points during the second set, and Prižmić exploited his sluggishness with consistently punishing drop shots. Djokovic, meanwhile, tried to shorten points by hitting drop shots of his own, but the tactic kept backfiring, with Prižmić able to chase them down and fire away winners.

In his post-match news conference, Djokovic didn’t want to discuss whether he was physically impaired, but he described his run-up to the French Open as “not an ideal preparation, to be honest.

“I don’t recall the last time in the last couple years (that I had) a preparation where I didn’t have any kind of physical issues or health issues coming into the tournament. There’s always something. Kind of a new reality that I have to deal with.

“Yeah, it is frustrating. At the same time it’s my decision to still perform in that kind of state and conditions. It is what it is.”

Prižmić grew up idolising Djokovic and pushed him all the way in a four-set defeat at the Australian Open a couple of years ago. Djokovic, a 10-time champion, was hugely impressed by what he’d seen and said during a television interview afterward that “it felt at some point I was playing myself in a mirror.”

Prižmić, who was only 18 at the time, hasn’t been able to kick on since that breakout moment in Melbourne — in large part because of a right wrist injury. But he beat world No. 6 Ben Shelton at the Madrid Open last month, and possesses phenomenal firepower. A diminished Djokovic ultimately couldn’t live with Prižmić, and after breaking for 3-2 in the final set, Prižmić held his nerve against a partisan crowd to serve out the match.

A chaotic end to the match saw Djokovic asking for the court to be swept at the final change of ends and crying out in frustration, with the crowd making so much noise in favor of the 24-time Grand Slam champion that it felt like a Davis Cup tie. Prižmić showed considerable mental fortitude to close out by far the biggest win of his young career, swinging an ace out wide to finish.

“Today he has definitely performed a high-level of tennis,” Djokovic said. “I told him at the net that his forehand improved a lot. Whatever he has been doing with his team is working out well. He should just keep going.”

In spite of only having played one match on clay this year, Djokovic said he would not enter a tournament the week leading up to the French Open, which begins May 24. He did so in 2025, winning the Geneva Open after losing in his first match in Madrid and then missing the Italian Open.

Djokovic ended up reaching the French Open semifinals, offering yet another reminder of why he can never be counted out. Asked why he wouldn’t try and repeat the formula this year, Djokovic said: “It’s the decision. It’s the decision.”

With Carlos Alcaraz absent from Paris this year, Djokovic is almost universally viewed as the man most likely to challenge the dominant world No. 1 Jannik Sinner. A fourth French Open title for Djokovic would be a record-breaking 25th major overall, but he said in his news conference that he does not feel at the level to deliver that kind of performance.

“Obviously I see what I’m missing. Late half a step. Eventually you have to play. You have to start somewhere. I wanted to start earlier, but I couldn’t. So yeah, that’s what it is. The situation is as it is. You just adapt to it and make the most out of it.

“I train hard. I train as much as the body allows me to. Then how it turns out on the court, that’s really unpredictable.”

Prižmić, meanwhile, will face the French No. 31 seed Ugo Humbert or Vít Kopřiva of the Czech Republic in the third round Sunday.

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