ROME, Italy – Novak Djokovic described his shock third-round elimination from the Rome Open by Alejandro Tabilo on Sunday (Monday Manila time) as “concerning”, two days after he was hit on the head by a bottle, which he said has caused nausea and dizzy spells.
Djokovic’s bid for a record-extending 41st Masters 1000 title was ended in just over an hour by Chilean Tabilo, who is ranked 32nd in the world and claimed his first win over a top-10 opponent, 6-2, 6-3.
The 24-time Gran d Slam winner said that his subdued performance on a court where he has won six titles might have been due to the blow suffered while greeting fans on Friday night.
He had initially laughed off being accidentally struck on the head by a hard water bottle following his straightforward second-round win over Corentin Moutet, by wearing a cycling crash helmet to training on Saturday morning.
“I don’t know, to be honest. I have to check that. Training was different. I was going for kind of easy training yesterday. I didn’t feel anything, but I also didn’t feel the same,” Djokovic told reporters.
“Today under high stress, it was quite bad — not in terms of pain, but in terms of this balance. Just no coordination. Completely different player from what it was two nights ago.”
Djokovic also said that he would have scans to “see what’s going on” before the French Open in Paris, where he will head not just worried by the after-effects of the bottle incident but also his form.
The last time Djokovic got to Roland Garros without a title to his name that season was in 2018, when his first honor of the campaign came at Wimbledon.
With the French Open getting underway in two weeks and where he is the defending champion, Djokovic admitted that “everything needs to be better in order for me to have at least a chance to win” a 25th Grand Slam.
“The way I felt on the court today was just completely like a different player entered into my shoes,” added Djokovic. “It’s a bit concerning.”
Djokovic’s early elimination means that the last major men’s tournament before Roland Garros is now wide open with third seed Alexander Zverev beating home hope Luciano Darderi, ranked 54th in the world, 7-6 (7/3), 6-2.
Tabilo was a worthy winner against Djokovic after tearing into his superstar opponent, claiming the biggest win of his career in remarkable style by hitting 22 winners, making just four unforced errors and not facing a single break point.
“Honestly in no moment was I like, Okay, I can win thi s,” said a delighted Tabilo.
“I was playing incredible tennis. Just wanted to keep that level… The whole match I was just trying to take it point by point, not think about the score. Every point was like the start of the match.”
Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka will face Elina Svitolina for the first time since their handshake row at last year’s French Open after both cruised into the last women’s last 16.
Second seed Sabalenka beat Dayana Yastremska, 6-4, 6-2 to set up a clash in the next round with Svitolina, a two-time winner at the Foro Italico, who comfortably beat Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-3.
Svitolina accused Belarusian Sabalenka of inflaming tensions surrounding the Russia-Ukraine war for waiting at the net for a handshake after beating Ukrainian Svitolina in the Roland Garros quarterfinals in 2023.
Svitolina had already insisted she was not going to offer one, as all Ukraine players refused to shake hands with Russian and Belarusian rivals in protest at the ongoing war.
Sabalenka, who has never won in Rome but is a two-time champion on the Madrid clay, looks in good shape to at least match her 2022 run to the semifinals.
Earlier fifth seed Maria Sakkari lined up a probable last-16 clash with Victoria Azarenka who beat 80th-ranked Egyptian Mayar Sherif 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3.
NEW YORK – A new era for women’s basketball gets under way on Tuesday (Wednesday Manila time) when Caitlin Clark makes her full professional debut for the Indiana Fever as the new WNBA season tips off.
After a college career that rewrote the record books and shattered attendance and television viewing records, No. 1 draft pick Clark will line up for Indiana’s season-opening road game against the Connecticut Sun.
Anticipation for Clark’s regular season debut has already started to mirror the excitement that accompanied her collegiate career, when sell-out crowds flocked to Iowa Hawkeyes games to catch a glimpse of a generational talent.
Tuesday’s game at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Connecticut, has already sold out, with courtside seats being offered for sale on secondary markets for as much as $4,262 each.
“This is one of the biggest games in WNBA history,” said Jeff Hamilton, the general manager of the Mohegan Sun resort complex. “Our arena is sold out, it’s our most popular game, even more popular than when we played in the finals.”
Evidence of the Clark phenomenon has already been seen in the preseason.
More than 13,000 fans packed into the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis to watch her first home game for the Fever last Thursday, eclipsing the previous record attendance for a pre-season game of just over 9,000, set 24 years ago.
“This is a preseason game on a Thursday night and there’s 13,000 people,” Clark said after contributing 12 points in an 83-80 victory over the Atlanta Dream.
“That just shows you what it’s going to be like for us all season. It’s going to help us,” added Clark, who also scored 21 points in her other preseason appearance against Dallas on May 3.
Tuesday’s game will be broadcast nationwide on ESPN, with the US sports network pledging in a press release last week to “utilize a WNBA Finals-level production setup” for the game.
Clark is relishing the chance to shine under the national spotlight as fans tune in to see whether the scoring touch that saw her break Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old all-time college basketball points record will translate to the more demanding professional game.
“Preseason games you’re trying to be as competitive as possible but you’re still trying to figure it out, try different lineups,” Clark said. “So getting out there for the first time is really exciting and it will be super special.
“This is what you’ve worked for and dreamed of. Now you get to put your jersey on for the first real time and go out there and play.
“We get to play on the biggest stage, there’s gonna be a lot of people there, it’s gonna be loud.
“But you only play your first WNBA game once. I think I just want to enjoy it. It’s gonna be competitive. They’re really good, so you’ve gotta prep the right way, too. More than anything, we’re ready for the challenge.”
Tuesday’s sell-out is a far cry from her college debut. Asked what she remembered about her first game for Iowa, she replied: “No one was there.”
While Indiana stand to gain the most tangible commercial benefits from Clark’s arrival this season, teams across the entire league will enjoy a financial boost, with some already switching home games involving Indiana to bigger arenas to ensure more lucrative box office returns.
“I think the anticipation and all the enthusiasm going into the season has really been great for the women’s game and is long overdue,” Connecticut Sun general manager Darius Taylor said.
WNBA players this season, meanwhile, are to benefit from upgraded travel. For the first time, the league will fly players around the nation on charter flights rather than commercial passenger jets, a clear sign of the league’s growing financial clout.
“It just makes life a lot easier for a lot of people, but also it’s just something that a lot of people have deserved for years and years now,” Clark said.
“So, I’m just very fortunate to come to this league and have that opportunity the first year I’m here.”