Novak Djokovic finds himself navigating unfamiliar territory in 2025. After an injury cut short his Australian Open campaign at the semi-final stage, the Serbian legend’s struggles have only deepened. His latest setback came at the Madrid Masters, where he bowed out in his opening match, losing 6-3, 6-4 to Italy’s Matteo Arnaldi on Saturday. This marks the second consecutive tournament where the 24-time Grand Slam champion has fallen in his first match, following a similar early exit at the Monte Carlo Masters, where he lost to Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets. This rocky ride has Serena Williams’ former coach weighing in.

The numbers tell a stark story for Djokovic—four opening-match losses in the seven tournaments he has played so far this year. Adding to the gloom, his outing in Madrid was littered with uncharacteristic errors. The Serb racked up 32 unforced errors against just 21 winners and managed to win only 40 percent of his second-serve points. Arnaldi, making the most of the opportunity, broke Djokovic early for a 2-0 lead and never looked back, closing the match with a comfortable hold.

Despite winning just 55 percent of his first-serve points, Arnaldi saved four of five break points he faced, showing composure in key moments where three-time Madrid champion Novak Djokovic faltered.

The dip in Djokovic’s form has not gone unnoticed. Serena Williams’ ex-coach and former WTA player  Rennae Stubbs highlighted the alarming trend. Taking to X, Stubbs wrote, “The worry index continues for Novak, as I pointed out on my latest podcast. He’s making way too many unforced errors (32 today) & NOT locking down in the biggest moments. Guys are not intimidated anymore because of that & thats the biggest key for these player, they see/feel it.”

Stubbs had earlier discussed Djokovic’s situation in her podcast, emphasizing that even legends are not immune to the passage of time. She said, “I don’t know what is going on. We cannot overemphasize this is the greatest player of all time; he has won more than anyone else. But he is not getting younger, and at some point, when you start getting scar tissue, that plaque on your brain, you have lost the confidence to start winning matches. I don’t care how great you are as a player, when you are not winning matches, it is not easy anymore.”

The former WTA player further added, “Everybody starts to think you’re vulnerable, you are making errors you didn’t make before, you are not the disciplined player that you used to be and at some point you do get older, and your legs aren’t quite there and you are missing your shot because you are pulling the trigger too early or you just don’t have the discipline.”

Djokovic’s 2025 season win-loss record now sits at a modest 12-7, far from the dominance fans are used to seeing. More significantly, the elusive 100th career title continues to slip away. After he struck gold at the Paris Olympics in 2024, it has been a drought. And the singles title on the tour? The former No.1 has not lifted a trophy since his 24th Grand Slam triumph at the US Open in 2023. The 37-year-old himself is now hinting at his retirement.

Novak Djokovic fuels retirement talk with cryptic answer

There was a sense of melancholy in Novak Djokovic’s post-match press conference in Madrid. Speaking with rare vulnerability, he admitted, “I didn’t have high expectations here. I just hoped to play one more match than in Monte Carlo.”

In a moment that raised eyebrows, Djokovic even hinted that this might have been his last appearance at the Madrid Open. He said, “It could be. I’m not sure if I will come back. So I don’t know what to say. I mean, I’ll come back, maybe not as a player, of course. I hope it’s not, but it could be.”

For now, Djokovic remains within touching distance of an exclusive milestone, aiming to join Jimmy Connors (109 titles) and Roger Federer (103 titles) as members of the 100-title club. Yet in Madrid, it was clear that the pursuit was no longer just about statistics. With emotions evident in his words, Djokovic acknowledged that the bigger battle now is not only against opponents across the net but also against time itself.

With Roland Garros looming, the big question remains—can Novak Djokovic summon one last surge to create history on the red clay of Paris? What do you think?