Djokovic accepts defeat in the late afternoon

guarding the racket 3-6, 4-6 to Matteo Arnaldi made Djokovic lose the third match in a row and for the first time after 12 years of being eliminated in the opening match of the Masters 1000 event in the Spanish capital. "I know the level of Arnaldi and predict this match is very difficult," Nole said at a press conference on April 27. "I practice well, but the real battle is another story. The current level is not what I want but it is so and I lost to someone better ".

Djokovic expects himself to play a few matches in Madrid, after losing early at Monte Carlo Masters. He said that losing early became frequent and he had to get used to the new reality. "Feeling completely different 20 years ago", the owner of 24 Grand Slam said. "Mentally, this is a big challenge. It is a life loop. I will still try my best in the next tournaments".

Djokovic has not had the ATP Tour title since November 2023. For more than a year, his early loss in big awards has been over two decades of playing at the peak of his form. Djokovic said he did not complain about his career, but accepted the situation, and tried to handle the problem. Winning more Grand Slam is one of the types of pressure when playing at the top. He did not think he was the leading candidate to win Roland Garros this year, but this could reduce the expectation and help him play more elegantly.