Novak Djokovic’s wife, Jelena, reacted with admiration to her husband’s heartfelt gesture toward his opponent at the Italian Open, despite a disappointing loss that ranks among his toughest in recent years.
Djokovic began his claycourt swing in Rome after skipping key events like the Monte Carlo Masters and the Madrid Open. Entering as the third seed in the absence of Carlos Alcaraz, he faced 20-year-old Dino Prizmic, who was ranked No. 79 and had come through qualifying.
In a shocking turn, Djokovic went down 6-2, 2-6, 4-6, marking the first time in 19 appearances that he lost his opening match in Rome. Despite the upset, the moment that stood out came at the net, where the Serbian shared a warm embrace with Prizmic, who has long idolized him.
The touching exchange quickly resonated with fans. Yousef Tharwat of TSH Tennis praised the moment on Instagram, and Jelena echoed the sentiment by resharing it on her Story, expressing that she loved it as well.
“So do I,” Jelena wrote in the caption.
Novak Djokovic Makes Bold Call To Skip Remaining Clay Tournaments Ahead Of French Open
Novak Djokovic has taken a bold call following his shocking opening-round loss to Dino Prizmic at the 2026 Italian Open, deciding to skip the remainder of the clay-court swing and head straight to the French Open, which begins on May 24.
The 24-time Grand Slam champion confirmed the decision while speaking to reporters after the defeat. He added:
“It’s not an ideal preparation, to be honest. I don’t recall the last time I had in the last couple of years a preparation where I didn’t have any kind of physical issues or health issues coming into the tournament. There’s always something. Kind of a new reality that I have to deal with. It is frustrating. At the same time it’s my decision to still perform in that kind of state and conditions. It is what it is.”
The remaining clay tournaments ahead of Roland Garros include the Hamburg Open and the Geneva Open, both of which the 38-year-old will now skip as part of his revised schedule.
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