Novak Djokovic has withdrawn from the Italian Open in Rome, which is about to start subsequent week.
The world No 5 is on a five-match dropping streak together with his newest defeat coming on the Madrid Open on Saturday when he misplaced to world No 44 Matteo Arnaldi within the second spherical, leaving the Serb nonetheless looking for his first win of the clay-court season.
Final yr, Djokovic had a disappointing marketing campaign on the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, profitable only a single match earlier than crashing out of the match, though since making his debut on the Rome match in 2007, he has competed in it yearly and earned a 68-12 file, together with six titles.
“I do not suppose it is an enormous shock within the sense that it hasn’t appeared like he is been overly joyful on the tennis court docket within the final couple of tournaments,” mentioned British tennis coach Jamie Delgado.
“His objective is clearly the French Open, and he sees the easiest way to get himself prepared for that’s to take time without work, relaxation up, and acquire his vitality for Paris.
“It is a huge determination as nicely as a result of, particularly on clay, he would not have had the matches that he would need going into the French Open, however that’s a few of the give and take – have somewhat break and clean up his mind for the large one, however with out the matches. He is joyful to go for that possibility clearly.”
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Highlights of Djokovic’s match with Matteo Arnaldi within the second spherical of the Madrid Open
After dropping to Arnaldi 6-3 6-4 in Spain, Djokovic mentioned: “It is a utterly completely different feeling from what I had in 20-plus years {of professional} tennis.
“It is a problem for me mentally to actually face these sorts of sensations on the court docket, going out early now frequently in tournaments.”
Djokovic has spent extra weeks ranked No 1 than some other tennis participant, however at present sits in fifth place.
The one title the Serb received in 2024 or 2025 was the gold medal he claimed by beating Carlos Alcaraz within the ultimate of the Paris Olympics in August.
Djokovic additionally retired through the Australian Open this January due to a torn hamstring muscle.
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