Finish of an period? Djokovic hints at Madrid farewell after defeat

Serbia’s Novak Djokovic reacts throughout his spherical of 64 match towards Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi in Madrid Open at Park Manzanares, in Madrid, Spain on  April 26, 2025. — Reuters

MADRID: Novak Djokovic has urged that he could have performed on the Madrid Open for the ultimate time. 

The three-time champion crashed out within the second spherical on Saturday, shedding to Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi. After the defeat, the Serbian star admitted he was unsure if he would return to the match.

Arnaldi beat fourth seed Djokovic 6-3 6-4 to achieve the third spherical. The consequence condemned the 37-year-old, who obtained a bye within the opening spherical, to his third consecutive defeat.

Djokovic, who has been chasing a one centesimal tour-level title, was handed a shock defeat within the Miami Open last in late March earlier than his second-round Monte Carlo exit earlier this month.

All three defeats got here in straight units.

“Obviously after you lose a match you don’t feel good, but I’ve had a few of these this year where I lose in the first round, unfortunately,” Djokovic instructed a press convention.

“I think the positive thing is that I really enjoyed myself more than I have in Monte-Carlo or some other tournament, so that’s a good thing.

“However clearly nonetheless degree of tennis isn’t the place I would really like it to be. However it’s what it’s. I misplaced to a greater participant.”

Djokovic, who made his Madrid debut in 2006 and won the tournament in 2011, 2016 and 2019, was looking for his first win on clay since defeating Carlos Alcaraz to win gold at the Paris Olympics.

Asked whether he just played his last match in Madrid, Djokovic said: “It could possibly be. It could possibly be. I am unsure if I’ll come again. So, I do not know, I do not know what to say.

“I mean, I’ll come back, maybe not as a player. I hope it’s not, but it could be.”

Djokovic received three out of the 4 main titles in 2023 however has not been capable of reproduce that type of type since, being shut out of the sport’s greatest tournaments final 12 months as Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz claimed majors apiece.

“(It’s) kind of new reality for me, I have to say. You know, trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament,” Djokovic added.

“It’s a completely different feeling from what I had in 20-plus years of professional tennis, so it’s kind of a challenge for me mentally to really face these kind of sensations on the court, going out early now regularly in the tournaments.

“However that is, I suppose, the circle of life and the profession, ultimately it was going to occur.”

The previous world primary owns ATP Masters 1000 information for many wins (414), semi-finals (79), finals (60) and titles (40).