Novak Djokovic shares fitness concerns after surprising loss at the Italian Open
Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam winner and currently world No. 4 in men’s singles, shared some concerns about his fitness just a few weeks before the French Open.
Djokovic hasn’t won a major since the 2023 US Open and has had a tough start to 2026, not playing any matches since Indian Wells in March. The 38-year-old, who is the fourth seed, came back to the court at the Italian Open in Rome on Friday after recovering from a shoulder injury. He had a first-round bye but then lost a close match to 20-year-old Croatian Dino Prizmic, with scores of 2–6, 6–2, and 6–4.
Before the French Open, Djokovic faces a tough record—he hasn’t won any opening matches in the first three ATP Masters clay tournaments this season for the second year running. After his loss, he honestly talked about accepting the “new reality” of his fitness struggles as he nears 39 years old.
“It’s not the best preparation, to be honest,” Djokovic said. “I don’t remember the last time in the past couple of years when I didn’t have some kind of physical or health issue before a tournament. There’s always something. It’s just something I have to deal with now. It’s frustrating, but I chose to keep playing under these conditions. It is what it is.”
Djokovic also praised his young opponent, calling Prizmic a “great kid” who played really well. “I told him his forehand has improved a lot,” he said. “Whatever he and his team are doing is working. He should keep it up.”
When asked if he feels fit enough to play his best at the French Open, Djokovic said, “I don’t know. I hope so. We’ll see what happens.”
The French Open, which Djokovic has won three times, will start on May 18 and run until June 7.