Disastrous return. Djokovic bids an early farewell to Rome

Novak Djokovic’s return to the field was far from expectations. The Serbian fell to Croatia’s Dino Prismic (6-2), (2-6), (4-6) in his opening match at the Rome Masters in a match that revealed his apparent lack of competitive rhythm despite his exceptional first-half display.

A missed opportunity ahead of Roland Garros

With the loss, Djokovic misses a valuable opportunity to build physical and mental fitness ahead of Roland Garros, unless he chooses to play in Geneva, as he did last season when he won the title a week before the French major.

Whatever the case, the Serbian will arrive in the French capital without a win at the major tournaments, which are designed to prepare him on clay, a scenario that repeated itself for him last season when he lost his first match in both Monte Carlo and Madrid.

This year, Djokovic did not participate in these two tournaments, but chose to play in the capital of Italy, not achieving the desired success.

Impressive start…then gradual collapse

Djokovic made a spectacular start to the match, playing top-class tennis and putting almost every ball on the line, leaving Przemić with real chances.

But the ease with which he won the first half (6-2) did not reflect the reality of the match, which became more difficult as the Croatian’s game improved significantly.

World No. 37 Prizmic took advantage of Djokovic’s worst moments and fought back to level the match 6-2 in the second half.

In the deciding game, the Serb tried to come back, but he gave too much space to his opponent, who was completely free from pressure, and after reaching the decisive service break, Prizmic finished the match without serious problems.

Alcaraz’s absence opens the door

This victory is a great achievement for Przemić at the expense of Noli, who has proven that he is currently far from his usual level.

Paris is approaching, and in about 15 days Roland Garros will begin without its Spanish king Carlos Alcaraz, who won the last two titles.

His absence opens the door to greater opportunities for the Serbian player, who has repeatedly proven his ability to raise his level at major tournaments.

Whether he chooses to play in Geneva or not, Djokovic, 37 and a 24-time Grand Slam champion, will need to improve a lot before starting his journey at Roland Garros, where he will seek his fourth French title.