Novak Djokovic revealed that the medical repercussions of being struck in the head with a bottle contributed to his third-round loss at the Italian Open on Sunday, saying he felt like a “different player” on the court. The 24-time Grand Slam champion struggled in one of his favourite competitions, losing to 29th-seeded Alejandro Tabilo.
It was Novak Djokovic first match since being accidently smacked on the head by a water bottle while signing autographs following his opening round victory last Friday.
“That has really impacted me a lot. After that I got medical care, been through half an hour, an hour of nausea, dizziness and blood,” Djokovic said at a news conference, adding that he would go for scans later. “I managed to sleep OK. I had headaches. The next day, or yesterday, was pretty fine, so I thought it’s OK. Maybe it is OK, maybe it’s not. Also read: Jannik Sinner To Play In French Open only if 100% fit
“The way I felt on the court today was just completely like a different player entered into my shoes. Just no rhythm, no tempo, no balance whatsoever on any shot. It’s a bit concerning.”
Djokovic opened with a double fault, and things didn’t get any better for the six-time Rome champion.
The top-ranked Djokovic lost his first two service games and went on to lose the match 6-2, 6-3 in just 68 minutes, allowing Tabilo to win after he double-faulted — his fifth of the set — amid boos at the Foro Italico.
“I’m trying to soak it all in and wake up right now,” Tabilo stated following his biggest career triumph. “I was simply trying to control my nerves and keep swinging. My arms were fatigued towards the end, but I tried not to think about it.
Djokovic’s third-round loss marks his lowest performance at the Italian Open. He had only lost once to an opponent outside the top ten in Rome, and he had never advanced past the quarterfinals. Also read: Boris Becker discharged from bankruptcy court in England
Djokovic, like Rafael Nadal, was knocked out in the third round by Hubert Hurkacz 6-1, 6-3 on Saturday.
While Djokovic stated that he was “fine” following the water bottle incident, the Serb’s performance was strangely off-key as he tries to improve his clay game before defending his championship at the French Open, which begins on May 26.