Struggling Novak Djokovic pulls out of Rome ahead of French Open 2025-OxBig News Network

Serbian tennis legend Novak Djokovic has officially withdrawn from the upcoming Italian Open, further fuelling uncertainty around his participation in the 2025 French Open. The clay-court tournament in Rome confirmed Djokovic’s exit through a special social media post, as the 36-year-old continues to wrestle with poor form following a shock early exit at the Madrid Open.

Djokovic’s recent struggles have been under intense scrutiny, particularly after Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi stunned the former World No. 1 with a 6-3, 6-4 straight-set win in the Round of 64 at the Manolo Santana Stadium. Post-match, Djokovic made subtle comments that sparked speculation about his future in the sport.

“Novak Djokovic has announced he won’t take part to #IBI25…See you next year, Nole,” Internazionali BNL d’Italia said in their post.

The Serbian star has now crashed out in the opening rounds of four out of five tournaments since the Australian Open—namely the Qatar Open, Indian Wells Masters, Monte Carlo Masters, and most recently, Madrid. His only solid run came at the Miami Open, where he reached the final but lost to Czech youngster Jakub Mensik.

Skipping the Italian Open marks a significant break in tradition for Djokovic. This will be the first time since his debut in the Rome tournament back in 2007 that he won’t feature in the competition.

Despite the growing concerns, Djokovic has made it clear that his top priority is winning Grand Slams. His next opportunity to do that comes at Roland Garros, with the French Open kicking off in Paris on May 25.