In a surprising twist in the world of professional tennis, Novak Djokovic is facing an unfamiliar scenario after being defeated in his opening match at the Madrid Open. This marks his third consecutive loss, with setbacks starting earlier this year. The Serbian tennis icon, who has been at the pinnacle of the sport for two decades, seems to be adapting to what he refers to as a “new reality.”
Recently, Djokovic encountered another early exit, falling to Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets. He entered the Madrid Open seeking redemption after opening-round losses at the Monte Carlo Masters and the Miami Open final. At 37, the decorated athlete is grappling with an unprecedented phase in his career, admitting the mental challenge that comes with early tournament eliminations.
Djokovic, holder of 24 Grand Slam titles, is currently on the clay-court circuit, which leads up to the French Open scheduled for next month. Nonetheless, his quest for a 100th career title hit a stumbling block as Arnaldi outplayed him with a 6-3, 6-4 victory, breaking Djokovic’s serve three times. This marked their first-ever encounter, where the Serbian’s 32 unforced errors contrasted starkly against Arnaldi’s sharper gameplay.
Expressing admiration for Djokovic, Arnaldi—ranked 44—described playing against his idol as a win in itself. While recognizing Djokovic’s current dip in form, Arnaldi seized the opportunity to deliver his top tennis game. Jubilant over his triumph, he celebrated by raising his arms to the crowd and writing “OMG” on a camera as a message for viewers.
As Djokovic searches for his first title win of 2023, Arnaldi progresses to face Damir Dzumhur, who emerged victorious against Sebastian Baez. Meanwhile, the tournament witnessed several noteworthy outcomes in other matches.
Alex de Minaur, the sixth seed, secured a straightforward win over Lorenzo Sonego and is set to compete against Denis Shapovalov, who defeated Kei Nishikori. Stefanos Tsitsipas staged a comeback to best Jan-Lennard Struff, setting up a match against tenth seed Lorenzo Musetti, who overcame Tomas Martin Etcheverry. Similarly, Cameron Norrie fought back from a set down against Jiri Lehecka and will meet Gabriel Diallo in the next round. Jack Draper and Grigor Dimitrov also advanced with ease.
In women’s tennis, Russian teenager Mirra Andreeva continued her impressive run by reaching the last 16 in Madrid for the third consecutive year. The 17-year-old clinched victory over Magdalena Frech, and her next challenge will be against Ukrainian qualifier Yuliia Starodubtseva. Meanwhile, Americans Coco Gauff and Madison Keys progressed with decisive wins over their respective opponents, with Belinda Bencic and Diana Shnaider also securing their spots in the next round.