Novak Djokovic suffered a stunning second-round exit at the Italian Open, falling to 20-year-old Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic in three sets.
The world number four, making his competitive return following a shoulder injury that had sidelined him since mid-March, went down 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in Rome.
It marked Djokovic’s first clay court outing of 2026, with the six-time champion in the Italian capital having missed multiple tournaments during his recovery.
The Serbian great, who had received a bye in the opening round, dominated the opening set before being pegged back.
Novak Djokovic lost to 20-year-old qualifier Dino Prizmic
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Prizmic, wielding a formidable serve and forehand combination, ruthlessly secured the biggest victory of his fledgling career.
Djokovic conceded just three points on his serve during a dominant first set, wrapping it up swiftly.
However, the momentum shifted decisively as Prizmic reeled off four consecutive games to seize control of the second set.
The 38-year-old appeared sluggish in his movement behind the baseline and increasingly relied on drop shots to curtail rallies.
The victory is the biggest in the young Croatian’s career
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Prizmic proved more than capable of handling this tactic, running down almost every short ball while producing 13 winners to level the match.
Despite showing renewed energy initially, the Serbian could not prevent Prizmic from breaking for a crucial 3-2 advantage after sending a volley long.
Djokovic confirmed afterwards that he would not compete again before Roland Garros commences on May 24, where he will pursue an unprecedented 25th Grand Slam singles title.
Reflecting on the game, Djokovic said: “I’m not definitely where I want to be to compete at the highest level and to be able to get far.
Djokovic was performing for the first time since injury
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“I don’t recall last time 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.”
Djokovic reached last year’s semi-finals at Roland Garros and contested the Australian Open final in January, losing to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets.
Prizmic paid tribute to Djokovic at the end of the game, writing: ‘Nole, it was a pleasure’ on the camera lens
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Prizmic, who counts Djokovic among his idols, paid tribute to the Serbian legend by writing: “Nole, it was a pleasure” on the camera lens following his triumph.
The young Croatian sealed victory with an ace out wide, remaining composed despite the magnitude of the occasion as he served out the match.
The win is Prizmic’s second top-10 victory in consecutive weeks, having defeated world number six Ben Shelton at the Madrid Open last month.
The pair had previously met at the 2024 Australian Open, where Djokovic emerged victorious and remarked it was “like playing myself in a mirror”.
