Djokovic lost his Madrid opener to Matteo Arnaldi, which was his third straight loss.
Afterward, a candid Djokovic confessed coping with a series of losses is a new experience and he’s learning to embrace the challenges he’s facing with his 38th birthday looming three days before Roland Garros starts.
“I mean, 20 years, you know, I didn’t experience what I’m experiencing in the last 12 months,” Djokovic told the media in Madrid. “So, you know, early exits and, you know, way too many. But it is part of the sport, and you have to accept the circumstances and try to make the best out of the circumstances in your favor for whatever is coming up.
“Yeah, I mean, look, I cannot sit here and complain about my career or anything, you know, I’m not doing that. But it’s a different feeling that I just have to embrace, accept, and deal with in a special way.”
A year ago, Djokovic reached the Geneva semifinals.
World No. 44 Tomas Machac shocked then world No. 1 Djokovic 6-4, 0-6, 6-1 to reach his first ATP Tour final on the red clay of Geneva with his biggest career victory.
The bearded all-courter from Czechia scored his second career Top 10 victory. Machac broke serve five times and won 21 of 32 points played on Djokovic’s second serve.
