Djokovic's Tough Reflection on His Physical Condition After his Defeat at ATP Roma

Pedro de Pablos | 8 May 2026 | 20.32

Djokovic's hard reflection on his physical condition after his defeat at ATP Rome

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Novak Djokovic has suffered a tough defeat in his debut at the ATP Rome 2026 against Dino Prizmic, something that had not happened to him in his previous 18 participations. From the second set, the Serbian showed physical problems, but he has preferred not to delve into the situation to not take credit away from his opponent's victory.

After displaying a great level during the first set, Djokovic started feeling unwell, and in the press conference after the match, he made it clear that his body has not been responding as it used to years ago, revealing that he does not remember the last time he prepared for a match without pain. With Roland Garros 2026 so close, it will be interesting to see how the Serbian's situation improves since he will arrive with barely any preparation for one of the major events in the tennis calendar.

Djokovic does not reveal his physical problems in the ATP Rome 2026

Physical issues against Prizmic

I hope you understand that I won't talk about that. I want to congratulate Dino, who was a deserved winner today. I came to Rome with the intention of having one battle or more, and unfortunately, I only had one. It's okay. At least I'm happy I fought until the end. I want to thank the audience; it was incredible once again. The support and affection I've been receiving, I don't take it for granted.

Preparation for Rome

To be honest, it's not the ideal preparation. I don't remember any moment in the past two and a half years where I didn't have some physical issue in preparation for a tournament. There's always something. It's a new reality I have to deal with. It's frustrating. But at the same time, it's my decision to compete under these conditions. It is what it is. I don't know if I'll arrive well at Roland Garros, I hope so.

Prizmic's level

I think he prefers playing on clay courts, from what I've seen in his career in recent years on the circuit. He is a great competitor, a great fighter, a great guy. I've known him for a few years. Obviously, we speak the same language, so I always wish him the best. Today, he undoubtedly played at a high level. I told him at the net that his forehand had improved a lot. Whatever he and his team are doing is working well; he should keep it up. Yes, I also thought two or two and a half years ago when we played in Australia, I think in the first round, that he has a lot of talent and potential. Hopefully, he can stay healthy because I know he has had many injury issues. If everything goes well for him, he can go far in the rankings.

Content with his level?

It was okay. I didn't play so poorly. To be honest, I don't think I played so badly. The second set was something to forget, obviously, because of how I felt on the court, but the first and third sets were good. In the end, it was a good battle. Obviously, I see what I lack. I'm definitely not where I want to be for the highest level, to compete at the highest level and go far. In the end, you have to play matches for that, and you have to start somewhere. I wanted to start earlier, but I couldn't. So, yes, that's how things are. The situation is what it is. You just adapt and make the most of it. I train hard. I train as much as my body allows me, but what happens on the court is truly unpredictable.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, La dura reflexión de Djokovic sobre su físico tras su derrota en el ATP Roma