Novak Djokovic suffered an unexpected defeat at the Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid, being eliminated from the second round by Italian Matteo Arnaldi.
Novak Djokovic, removed from round 2 at the Masters 1000 tournament from Madrid Photo: EPA
Triple champion in Madrid and the most titled player in tennis history, Novak Djokovic left the competition surprisingly early, after a modest match, in which he was a “shadow” of the former champion, according to Eurosport. The Serb lost in two sets, score 3-6, 4-6, in a match that lasted an hour and 42 minutes.
This was the first direct confrontation between Djokovic and Arnaldi, and the form difference was obvious. Djokovic committed no less than 32 unforced errors and showed a game without inspiration and brilliance. The longest world leader in ATP history seemed far from the level that consecrated.
The analysts present in Madrid commented on the match, saying it was only “A shadow“Of the champion of old.
Today’s defeat marks a rare moment in Djokovic’s career: it is only for the second time when losing the debut matches at two ATP Masters 1000 consecutive tournaments, after the 2018 precedent (Indian Wells and Miami).
For Matteo Arnaldi, Victoria has a special significance. The 24 -year -old Italian, who recognized before the match that he used to watch Djokovic’s parties on the phone, under the bench, during school hours, thus managed his fifth victory against a Top 10 ATP player and the second of this season. Also, for the second time in his career, Arnaldi reaches the third round in Madrid.
