Novak Djokovic’s Italian Open campaign came to an abrupt end after losing to world number 79 Dino Prizmic.
Prizmic, who came through qualifying, came back from a set down to defeat the 24-time Grand Slam champion, 2-6, 6-2, 6-4.
How concerned are you about Novak Djokovic heading into Roland Garros?
The 20-year-old Croatian will take on 31st seed, Ugo Humbert, in the next round, whom he has never faced before on the tour.
With his shocking upset triumph over Djokovic, Prizmic has just set a brand new record on the ATP Tour.
Dino Prizmic sets a new record after beating Novak Djokovic
According to Opta Ace, Prizmic is both the first qualifier and lowest-ranked player ever to earn a comeback win over Djokovic at an ATP Masters 1000 event.
Prizmic also joined an exclusive club of players under the age of 21 to defeat a former champion at the Italian Open since 2000.
By beating the Serb, who has hoisted the title six times, he became the fifth to achieve the feat, joining Marat Safin, Rafael Nadal, Alexander Zverev and Holger Rune.
Would Rafael Nadal be the undisputed GOAT if not for injuries?
Prizmic has earned a number of impressive wins recently, two of which came at the Madrid Open in April.
There, he beat former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini and fourth seed Ben Shelton.
He is seeking his best result at an ATP Masters 1000 event at the Italian Open, which is the third-round finish he achieved in the Spanish capital.
Novak Djokovic sends message to Dino Prizmic on social media
After the match, Djokovic took to social media to send a message to his Italian Open conqueror, who is 18 years his junior.
On his Instagram story, Djokovic said: “Congratulations, Dino. Good luck moving forward.”
It was not the first time Djokovic and Prizmic had clashed on the tour, with the two having battled it out at the 2024 Australian Open.
In the first round at Melbourne Park that year, Prizmic tested Djokovic, forcing the legend to four sets.
Djokovic ultimately came out on top in that battle before going on to reach the semifinals.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
