Novak Djokovic’s tactics questioned after shock Rome defeat

Photo by IZHAR KHAN / AFP via Getty Images

Dino Prizmic delivered a huge upset to Novak Djokovic at the Italian Open, ending his quest for a seventh title in Rome.

The world No. 1 looked on course for a routine win after taking the first set 6-2, but Prizmic turned the match around in impressive fashion, winning the next two sets 6-2, 6-4 to pull off the biggest win of his career.

That result marks Djokovic’s final match before heading to Roland Garros. It was also just his sixth defeat at this stage of a Masters event since the format changed in 2009 – and only one of those has come since September 2010.

Steve Johnson puzzled by Djokovic’s strategy in loss to Prizmic

Photo by Mark Avellino/Anadolu via Getty Images

Steve Johnson, who has seven ATP titles to his name, pointed out that Djokovic didn’t seem to be in top form physically.

“He was 18-0 in his first match in Rome over the course of his career, so obviously this is a surprising result for him to lose his first match,” Johnson said on the Nothing Major Show.

“He didn’t look great physically after the first set, I don’t know what it was.”

Johnson also noted that Djokovic seemed intent on keeping rallies short, which isn’t typical of his game style.

“It’s just strange to me,” he continued. “I think that he [Djokovic] must not have been feeling great physically because of the fact that in the third set he was losing some of the rallies which were 10, 12 or 14 balls.

“He was going for the winner more so than Prizmic was.

“That has never been done in the history of Novak Djokovic in his career, where he has pulled the trigger first where he has tried to shorten points, against someone like that.