Tennis Star Novak Djokovic Skips Rome Tournament
He's skipped Rome and sparked a flurry of questions, just a month out from Roland-Garros. Yep, we're talking about Djokovic, the 37-year-old Serb who's taking a pass on the Italian Open.
With his recent clay court performances underwhelming, it's uncertain if he'll shake his racket in the Foro Italico again. After his early exit in Madrid, Djokovic, currently ranked No. 5, admitted he might've signed his swan song in Spain. "Can't say for sure," he quipped.
One thing's for sure though, Djokovic won't be gracing the 2025 Rome Masters 1000. With Jannik Sinner, the new men's tour leader, set to return from his three-month doping suspension, the stage will be all his.
Organizers confirmed the news sans fuss. "No Novak Djokovic at the 2025 Italian Open," they reported, keeping it simple.
While they bid him a "See you next year, Nole," it's iffy if he'll see Rome again. Since his debut in 2007, he's missed the Italian capital only thrice, reaching the finals twelve times. But his 2025 stint was painful, getting chunked out by Chilean Alejandro Tabilo after an autograph session interrupted by a flying water bottle.
Djokovic's court woes go beyond the Italian roads. While he may not match Nadal's clay dominance, his Parisian clay conquests include three of his record 24 Grand Slam titles. He even wept gold on August 4, 2024, against Carlos Alcaraz, his last title missing from the collection.
But his 2025 clay-court record's a disaster, with two defeats in straight sets—one against Tabilo and the other against Matteo Arnaldi. Since a torn hamstring forced him to retire in the 2025 Australian Open semifinals, he's played just five tournaments, bowing out in the first round four times. His injuries have included eye and viral infections, an eye-roller at the Miami Masters 1000, his only tour victory since the Australian Open.
His Rome retreat has fueled speculation that he might skip Roland-Garros (May 25 - June 8) to focus his dwindling physical reserves on Wimbledon and the US Open, where he's won seven and four titles, respectively. Experts fear the younger guns taking advantage of his recent struggles, but his name's still on the Roland Garros entry list. We'll just have to wait and see if there's fire in his thrust or if he'll hang up his tennis whites.
- Djokovic might decide to skip Roland-Garros in 2025, focusing instead on Wimbledon and the US Open, considering his recent setbacks and the need to conserve his physical reserves.
- Despite skipping the Italian Open and facing various injuries, Djokovic's Name still appears on the Roland Garros entry list, fueling anticipation over his performance in the 2025 French Open.
- In 2025, the Rome Masters 1000 will be graced by Jannik Sinner, the new men's tour leader, as Djokovic has announced he will not participate, having been replaced by younger competitors eager to challenge his dominance in tennis.
- Despite having won three of his record 24 Grand Slam titles on Parisian clay, Djokovic's 2025 clay-court record has been less than stellar, with two consecutive defeats in straight sets at the hands of Alejandro Tabilo and Matteo Arnaldi.
