Novak Djokovic continues to pursue his first title of the year, having claimed his 99th title last August at the Paris Olympics. He has been a runner-up in four finals since that victory.
On Saturday, Novak Djokovic was defeated by Matteo Arnaldi in the first round of the Madrid Open, marking another challenging outing for the 24-time Grand Slam champion on clay as he approaches Roland Garros.
Arnaldi secured the win with a score of 6-3, 6-4, further postponing Djokovic’s quest for his 100th career title. The Serbian player struggled with 32 unforced errors throughout the match.
After hitting a winner that earned him a critical break in the second set, Arnaldi celebrated by raising his arms and turning towards the crowd. Djokovic attempted to respond and had three break points, but Arnaldi managed to hold his serve and ultimately defeated the three-time champion.
When given a marker for the customary winner’s message to the television audience, Arnaldi wrote “OMG” (Oh my god) on the camera.
This match was the first encounter between the 44th-ranked Arnaldi of Italy and Djokovic.
About Novak Djokovic’s performance
At 37 years old, Djokovic has now lost three consecutive matches, including the final in Miami and his first match against Alejandro Tabilo at the Monte Carlo Masters two weeks prior.
The Serb is still searching for his first title this season after securing his 99th title in August at the Paris Olympics, having lost four finals since that time. The only players to have reached the milestone of 100 titles are Jimmy Connors (109) and Roger Federer (103).
Arnaldi’s next opponent will be Damir Dzumhur, who overcame Sebastian Baez with a score of 1-6, 6-1, 6-2.
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