Shock in Rome: Dino Prizmic Stuns Novak Djokovic at 2026 Italian Open Amid Fitness Concerns

The Unthinkable Happens at the Foro Italico

The 2026 Italian Open has already delivered one of the most astonishing upsets of the tennis season. In a tournament renowned for its rich history and dramatic clay-court battles, Day Three at the Foro Italico will be remembered for the monumental fall of a legend. Novak Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion and six-time Rome titlist, was sensationally knocked out in the second round by 20-year-old Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic.

For Djokovic, who entered the tournament as the world number four, this was his first appearance on the ATP Tour since a third-round exit to Jack Draper at Indian Wells on March 12, and crucially, his very first match on clay this year. Having missed several tournaments due to a shoulder injury, the Serbian superstar arrived in Rome hoping to build momentum ahead of the French Open. Instead, his preparations for Roland Garros have been left in tatters following a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 defeat to the 79th-ranked Prizmic.

This startling result marked the first time in 19 appearances that Djokovic has lost his opening match at the Italian Open. The early exit not only halts his progress in Rome but also raises significant questions about his physical readiness and overall form as he approaches his 39th birthday.

A Match of Two Halves: How Prizmic Overpowered His Idol

The encounter began exactly as many pundits and fans had anticipated. Djokovic, who had received a first-round bye, looked sharp and authoritative in the opening exchanges. He dropped a mere three points behind his serve in the first set, moving fluidly and dictating the tempo of the rallies. It appeared to be business as usual for the Serbian, who wrapped up the first set 6-2 with relative ease.

However, the complexion of the match shifted dramatically in the second set. Prizmic, who had defeated Marton Fucsovics in the first round to set up this clash, suddenly found another gear. Backed by a massive serve and an increasingly aggressive, heavy forehand, the Croatian youngster began to dictate the baseline exchanges. Prizmic raced out to a commanding 4-0 lead in the second set, exploiting Djokovic’s sudden drop in physical intensity.

Djokovic looked laboured and sluggish behind the baseline, seemingly struggling with exhaustion or illness. In an attempt to shorten the grueling clay-court points, the veteran resorted to utilizing drop shots. Yet, Prizmic was equal to the task, showcasing incredible court coverage to chase down Djokovic’s attempts and firing 13 winners to secure the second set 6-2, forcing a decider.

Both players left the court before the final set, and Djokovic emerged with seemingly renewed energy. But Prizmic’s momentum proved unstoppable. The 20-year-old continued to dominate the baseline rallies, hitting powerful forehand winners that left his idol stranded. The pivotal moment arrived when Djokovic sent a backhand volley long, handing Prizmic a decisive break and a 3-2 lead.

Djokovic’s frustration boiled over as he yelled toward his box at the final change of ends. The noise inside the stadium ramped up as Prizmic stepped up to serve for the biggest victory of his burgeoning career. Displaying nerves of steel, the Croatian was completely unfazed. He continued to hit big groundstrokes before sealing the historic 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 triumph with an ace out wide.

Prizmic’s Disbelief and Joy

For Dino Prizmic, beating Novak Djokovic was not just the biggest win of his career; it was the realization of a childhood dream. Prizmic, who won the boys’ singles title at Roland Garros three years ago, has long cited Djokovic as his idol. Immediately following the match, the 20-year-old took a marker and respectfully wrote “Nole it was a pleasure” on the camera lens, a touching tribute to the legendary player he had just conquered.

It was a result that shocked the tennis world, and it seemed to shock Prizmic as well. Upon entering the media room for his post-match press conference, the Croatian qualifier offered a succinct but stunned summary of his achievement. “Yeah, it was big moment for me. It was also big thing to share the court with a legend,” Prizmic said. “So yeah today, I mean, I played unbelievable. I’m very happy about my performance today.”

The match held special significance for Prizmic, as it marked his first meeting with Djokovic since the 2024 Australian Open. On that occasion, Djokovic had emerged victorious, noting afterward that playing Prizmic was “like playing myself in a mirror.” When asked to compare the Djokovic of today with the player he faced two years ago, Prizmic offered an honest assessment of the situation.

“Now he didn’t play for a while, so it was easier,” Prizmic explained. “But again, it was for me very hard. Especially first set he played unbelievable. I just tried to stay in the match and tried to stay focused. In the end it was good.”

Prizmic, who also stunned world number six Ben Shelton at the Madrid Open last month, emphasized his need to remain grounded despite the monumental achievement. “Big respect for Novak, he’s my idol, so it was definitely a great match for me,” he said. “Yeah, now feeling is amazing. But yeah, in two days I have another match, so I just need to recover as much as I can for the next match and also to play as much as I can my best tennis.”

Djokovic’s Health Concerns and French Open Uncertainty

For Novak Djokovic, the aftermath of the defeat was dominated by questions concerning his health, his fitness, and his immediate future on the tour. The 38-year-old, who has been chasing a standalone record 25th Grand Slam singles title since winning his 24th at the 2023 US Open, offered a starkly honest evaluation of his current physical state.

“I’m not definitely where I want to be to compete at the highest level and to be able to get far,” Djokovic admitted to the press. The Serbian star elaborated on his recent struggles with injuries and illness, shedding light on the difficulties of competing at the pinnacle of the sport as he approaches his late thirties.

“It’s not an ideal preparation, to be honest. I don’t recall the last time I had in the last couple of years a preparation where I didn’t have any kind of physical issues or health issues coming into the tournament,” Djokovic lamented. “There’s always something. Kind of a new reality that I have to deal with. 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.”

Despite the noticeable drop in his physical levels during the second set, Djokovic refused to completely dismiss his level of play, adding, “I don’t think I played so bad, to be honest. It was a good battle in the end.”

When asked if he would be in shape for the French Open, a tournament he has won three times, Djokovic smiled and cast a shadow of doubt over his prospects. “I don’t know. I hope so. Let’s see what happens,” he said. He will turn 39 just two days before Roland Garros gets underway on May 24.

Crucially, Djokovic confirmed that he will not play any further preparation tournaments before heading to Paris. Last year, Djokovic used the ATP 250 event in Geneva as a warm-up, winning the tournament to claim the 100th ATP title of his career before eventually reaching the semi-finals at Roland Garros. This year, however, he has decided to abandon that strategy.

“No. This year, no. I’ll just go to Paris straight. It’s the decision. It’s the decision,” Djokovic firmly stated when asked about adding an event like Geneva to his schedule.

Pundits Left Shocked by Djokovic’s Decision

Djokovic’s definitive decision to bypass any further clay-court match play before the French Open sent shockwaves through the tennis community. With only a single match on dirt under his belt this season, many experts believe the Serbian is taking a massive gamble heading into the notoriously demanding conditions of best-of-five-set tennis in Paris.

Former world number one and Tennis Channel pundit Tracey Austin expressed immense confusion regarding Djokovic’s post-match comments. “I was kind of surprised,” Austin admitted on air. “He clearly knows what’s best for him. I mean we’re never going to doubt what Novak has to think. But I was surprised that he made such a definitive answer so quickly after losing a match like this because we know that last year he went there, he won the title.”

Austin elaborated on her concerns regarding his lack of match sharpness. “He hasn’t played [much]. What has he played, like 10-12 matches this year? Third tournament overall. And I would feel like going into a major, three out of five sets, and you haven’t played since Indian Wells, he’d want at least a few matches. That kind of surprised me. There must be a reason why. Maybe he’s not feeling good physically elsewhere. I just don’t know. That surprised me.”

Men’s Draw: Arnaldi Thrills Home Crowd, Zverev Advances

While Djokovic’s exit dominated the headlines, Day Three at the Italian Open featured plenty of other high-quality action in the men’s draw. The local fans at the Foro Italico were treated to a magnificent spectacle on Campo Centrale as Italian wildcard Matteo Arnaldi pulled off a sensational upset of his own.

Arnaldi engaged in a gritty, high-quality battle against the sixth seed, Australia’s Alex de Minaur. After dropping the first set, the Italian rallied fiercely, utilizing the raucous support of the home crowd to pull off a 4-6, 7-6(5), 6-4 victory. The thrilling comeback marked only Arnaldi’s second tour-level win of the 2026 season and propelled him into the third round in Rome for the very first time in his career.

Elsewhere, second seed Alexander Zverev safely navigated his way through a tricky encounter against Daniel Altmaier. Following a rain delay, Altmaier pushed Zverev hard, breaking the German’s serve in both sets and making things physically uncomfortable. However, Zverev showcased his elite pedigree when it mattered most, raising his level in the key moments and firing 26 winners to secure a 7-5, 6-3 victory.

There was also a notable victory for 19-year-old Spanish prospect Rafael Jodar. The 32nd seed continued his impressive breakout season with a composed 7-6(4), 6-4 win over Nuno Borges, improving his tour-level clay court record to 13-2 for the year. Other seeded players advancing included Casper Ruud, who dispatched Zachary Svajda 6-1, 6-3, and Karen Khachanov, who defeated Alexander Shevchenko 6-4, 6-4.

Women’s Draw: Rybakina, Osaka, and Pegula Progress

The women’s draw in Rome saw no major upsets on Friday, as several top contenders stormed into the third round. Leading the charge was second seed Elena Rybakina, who got her campaign off to a blistering start. Playing her first match since a round-of-16 exit at the Madrid Open, Rybakina overpowered Greece’s Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-1 in just one hour and 16 minutes.

Rybakina established dominance early, breaking Sakkari’s serve in the opening game and racing to a 3-1 lead. Though Sakkari fought back to level the set, Rybakina immediately broke back and closed out the opener with a love service game. From there, the Kazakhstani star steamrolled through the second set, ending the match with a thunderous forehand. The victory reaffirmed her clay-court prowess; since 2020, only Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, and Coco Gauff have won more WTA matches on clay than Rybakina’s 61. Furthermore, Rybakina’s returning has been lethal this year, sitting second only to Mirra Andreeva in breaks of serve at the WTA level in 2026.

Naomi Osaka also booked her ticket to the third round, though she was forced to dig deep against Eva Lys. The Japanese superstar was pushed to three sets before ultimately prevailing 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, setting up a clash with Diana Shnaider.

American contenders Madison Keys and Jessica Pegula similarly advanced. Keys survived a stern all-American test against Peyton Stearns, fighting her way to a 4-6, 6-4, 6-2 victory. Meanwhile, fifth seed Pegula enjoyed a much smoother afternoon, needing just over an hour to dismantle Turkiye’s Zeynep Sonmez with a comprehensive 6-4, 6-0 scoreline.

As the tournament moves forward, the tennis world will eagerly watch how the remaining contenders navigate the Roman clay, all while the specter of Novak Djokovic’s uncertain future casts a long shadow over the upcoming French Open.