Novak Djokovic said he had to face up to his “new reality” after another opening-match loss, this time to world No. 44 Matteo Arnaldi at the Madrid Open. “Trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament,” Djokovic said in a news conference Saturday of his expectations going into events in 2025.

Former world No. 1 Novak Djokovic has pulled out of the Italian Open amid a three-match losing streak and months of struggling with his form.

Djokovic’s public coming to terms with his rare losing streak came after he fell in straight sets to Matteo Arnaldi in his first match of the Madrid Open on Saturday.