Novak Djokovic was left to ponder a “new actuality” after slumping to a 3rd straight defeat as he was overwhelmed by unseeded Italian Matteo Arnaldi on the Madrid Open.
The 24-time grand slam winner fell in straight units, 6-3 6-4, in one other disappointing show.
Djokovic’s newest loss got here on the again of a defeat by Jakob Mensik within the Miami remaining, earlier than bowing out of the Monte Carlo Masters towards Alejandro Tabilo.
The 37-year-old’s present type means he doesn’t maintain out a lot hope of including to his tally of main titles on the French Open, which begins subsequent month.
He instructed the ATP web site: “Form of a brand new actuality for me, I’ve to say.
“Attempting to win a match or two, not likely eager about getting far within the match – it’s a totally completely different feeling from what I had in 20-plus years {of professional} tennis.
“It’s a problem for me mentally to actually face these sorts of sensations on the courtroom, going out early now often in tournaments.”
Arnaldi, aged 24 and ranked 44 on the earth, stated: “He’s my idol, he’s all the time been.
“I used to be simply glad that I might play him. I’d by no means performed him, simply practised with him. To play him at a stage like this was already a victory for me.
“He’s not at his finest proper now, so I got here on courtroom to attempt to play my finest tennis and win, and it occurred.”
British primary Jack Draper stepped up his Roland Garros preparations by easing safely via to the third spherical towards Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor.
Draper, seeded fifth, bounced again from his disappointing defeat by Alejandro Davidovich Fokina in Monte Carlo with a 6-3 6-4 win.
The 23-year-old broke to steer 4-2 on his technique to taking the primary set in simply over half an hour, and an early break put him accountable for the second on his technique to victory in an hour and quarter-hour. He’ll meet former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini in spherical three.
British quantity two Jacob Fearnley continues to make strides, and he clinched his first win over a top-20 participant.
The 23-year-old got here from a set all the way down to beat Czech nineteenth seed Tomas Machac 1-6 6-3 6-2.
Cameron Norrie made it a hat-trick of British wins, getting an encouraging victory below his belt as he additionally got here from behind to beat one other Czech, twenty sixth seed Jiri Lehecka, 2-6 6-4 6-0.
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