Novak Djokovic’s return to competitive tennis after a nearly two-month hiatus ended in disappointment at the ATP 1000 Masters in Rome. The 24-time Grand Slam champion suffered a surprising second-round defeat to Croatian underdog Dino Prizmic, losing 6:2, 2:6, 4:6 in 2 hours and 15 minutes.
The third-seeded Serb, who had been off the tour since mid-March, looked sharp in the opening set but struggled to maintain his level as the 20-year-old Prizmic rallied. After the match, the young Croat expressed his admiration: “Novak is my idol. Today I played an incredible match. I just want to stay focused and be ready for the next one.”
Djokovic, now ranked fourth in the world behind Alexander Zverev, had been using the Rome tournament as preparation for the French Open starting May 24, where he aims to capture his record 25th Grand Slam title. His last major final ended in defeat to Carlos Alcaraz at the Australian Open earlier this year. 
The early exit raises questions about his form on clay ahead of Roland Garros, though the 38-year-old remains a formidable contender when healthy.