ROME : Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic stunned childhood idol Novak Djokovic 2-6 6-2 6-4 in the second round of the Italian Open on Friday, handing the Serbian his first opening-match defeat in Rome in 19 appearances.
Djokovic, a six-time champion in the Italian capital, was playing his first claycourt match of the season and appeared hampered by fatigue and a series of backhand errors after taking the opening set comfortably.
The 20-year-old Prizmic, ranked 79th in the world, responded with increasingly aggressive play and powerful forehand winners to wrest control of the match.
“Big respect for Novak, he’s my idol, so it was definitely a great match for me,” Prizmic said after the victory.
After winning the first set, Djokovic struggled to maintain his level as Prizmic stormed to a 4-0 lead in the second before levelling the contest.
The decisive moment came in the third set when Djokovic surrendered a break with consecutive backhand mistakes, allowing the Croatian to move 3-2 ahead.
Prizmic kept his composure from there and sealed the biggest win of his career with an ace.
“I played unbelievable. I just want to stay focused and be ready for the next one,” said Prizmic, who also defeated Ben Shelton at the Madrid Open last month.
Djokovic will next turn his attention to the French Open, where he will continue his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title later this month.
