Novak Djokovic withdraws from Rome Masters days after shock second-round Madrid Open defeat to Matteo Arnaldi
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Updated 30/04/2025 at 10:58 GMT+1
Novak Djokovic will not take part in this year's Rome Masters as the French Open draws closer. The Serbian suffered a shock second-round defeat to Matteo Arnaldi over the weekend, which means he has lost three consecutive matches. His withdrawal from the tournament could mean that Djokovic is looking to conserve his energy and fitness for Roland-Garros, which gets underway at the end of May.
Highlights: Djokovic stunned in Madrid as Arnaldi secures shock straight-sets win
Video credit: SNTV
Novak Djokovic will not feature in this year's Rome Masters, the tournament organisers announced on Tuesday.
The Serbian has struggled for form lately after suffering a second-round exit at the Madrid Open on Saturday to world No. 44 Matteo Arnaldi.
Djokovic's shock loss was his third in a row after he was beaten by Jakub Mensik in the Miami Open final and went down to Alejandro Tabilo in the first round of the Monte Carlo Masters.
Rome has historically been a happy hunting ground for the record 24-time major winner.
Djokovic has won six titles in the Italian capital and reached 12 finals, the latter a joint-record with the 'King of Clay' Rafael Nadal.
The 37-year-old Serbian has appeared at the event every year since 2007, falling to Tabilo in the second round last year.
Djokovic's 2025 season so far has been challenging, with his runner-up finish in Miami marking his deepest run at a tournament thus far.
He marched all the way to the semi-finals at the Australian Open in January, knocking out third seed Carlos Alcaraz in impressive style in the quarter-finals, before being forced to retire injured against Alexander Zverev in the semi-finals.
But in the wake of his defeat to Arnaldi in Madrid, Djokovic suggested that he had played his last match in the Spanish capital.
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Asked if it might be his final appearance, he said: "It could be. It could be. I'm not sure if I will come back. So, I don't know. I don't know what to say. Â
"I mean, I'll come back, maybe not as a player, of course. I hope it's not, but it could be."
Djokovic will be hoping to return to his best fitness and form in time for the second major of the year at the French Open in May, shown live on TNT Sports and discovery+.
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The world No. 5 will take to the clay courts of Paris when the tournament gets underway on Sunday, May 25, hoping to reach the final on Sunday, June 8.
Djokovic is a three-time champion at Roland-Garros, most recently in 2023, but admitted that he will be an underdog this year.
"I'm not going into Roland-Garros as one of the main favourites," he said.Â
"Maybe that can help, I don't know, we'll see."
Watch and stream the 2025 Roland Garros on TNT Sports and discovery+
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