The 20-year-old Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic stunned Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 in the second round of the Rome Masters 1000, ending the six-time champion’s perfect record in Rome openers and handing the Serbian his earliest exit at the Foro Italico since his debut.
Djokovic, the No. 4 seed and a 24-time Grand Slam champion, had won all 18 of his previous opening matches in Rome before Friday. Prizmic, ranked No. 79 and 75 places below his idol, became the first player ever to beat him at this stage of the tournament.
A first set on serve, then the match turned
Djokovic took the opening set in 36 minutes, breaking twice to lead 2-6 with the kind of measured baseline play that has defined his six titles in the Italian capital. The 38-year-old, playing his first match on clay this year and his first match anywhere in two months following the Indian Wells campaign in March, looked controlled.
The shift came early in the second. Djokovic began bending at the knees between points and walking slowly to the chair at changeovers, visibly hampered by what appeared to be a stomach issue. Prizmic broke twice for a 4-0 lead, and although Djokovic avoided the bagel, the Croatian closed out the set in an hour and 22 minutes of total play.
Prizmic held his nerve as Djokovic tried to rally
The third set was tight on serve until the fifth game, when Prizmic pounced on a loose Djokovic volley to break for 3-2. He consolidated, held to 4-2 with a service winner, and moved to 5-3 after a tired Djokovic backhand sailed long. Djokovic held at 15 to stay in the match, but Prizmic served it out at 15 to seal the win after two hours and 17 minutes.
The Croatian won 11 of 14 points at the net and broke serve three times across the match. He becomes the first Croatian man to reach the third round in Rome since Borna Coric in 2023.
“For me now it’s hard to say. I’ll just say now big respect for Novak. He’s my idol,” Prizmic said after the match. “It was definitely a great match from me today. I played unbelievable. I just want to stay focused and to be ready for the next one.”
Asked how he held his composure after losing the opener, Prizmic said: “The first set he played unbelievable. I was like, ‘OK, I’ll just try to change something.’ It worked. But definitely he played really really unbelievable in the first set and at the end of the second set. I tried to find my game and I did it. It’s very, very good.”
After the handshake, Prizmic walked to the courtside camera and signed: “Nole, it was a pleasure!!”
A second top-10 win in eight days
Prizmic had never beaten a top-10 player before the Madrid Open last week, where he took out Ben Shelton. Eight days later, he has two such wins, and a career-high ranking is already guaranteed by his run at the Foro Italico. The Croatian, who competed at the Next Gen ATP Finals last December, will face the 31st seed Ugo Humbert, who defeated Vit Kopriva (6-3, 6-2).
Djokovic, who is targeting to play til the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, was measured in defeat. “I came in to have a match or more. Unfortunately only a match,” he said. “It’s all right. I’m pleased at least that I fought till the end.”
He pointed to the second set as the turning point. “It was okay. I didn’t play so bad. The second set was something to forget — obviously the way I felt on the court. But the first and third was good. It was a good battle in the end.”
The Serbian was clear-eyed about where his level sits after a long absence. “I see what I’m missing. Late half a step. I’m not definitely where I want to be for the highest level.” He will go to the French Open without any other clay match under his belt.