“Worth Reading” Novak Djokovic’s Italian Open loss might have been caused due to an accident caused a few days earlier

A doctor gave his hypothesis of what the bottle hit might have done to Djokovic.

“Worth Reading” Novak Djokovic’s Italian Open loss might have been caused due to an accident caused a few days earlier

Novak Djokovic (Via Imago)

Novak Djokovic has been having the worst year so far. With no title in the first quarter, his terrible form carried over to the clay court season as well. Even though he had a semi-final run at the Monte Carlo Masters, the Serbian’s bad form vows continued as he lost in the third round of the Italian Open.

However, it seems like Nole has a legitimate excuse for the loss this time. In the interview after his loss, the Serbian was concerned that the bottle strike, which happened three nights ago, might have affected his performance on the next day. 

YouTube video

For more context, a steel water bottle had slipped from a fan’s backpack and fell directly on top of Djokovic’s head, while he was signing souvenirs for the fans. It was a nasty hit on the head, and Djokovic was seen holding his head, as he was taken off by the officials. 

FS Video

While this incident may be a small one for others, a doctor revealed that it could have been the reason for his loss in the next round. Djokovic’s hitting partner and coach Charlie Gomez had reposted a doctor’s take on the bottle hit, captioning it as “worth reading.”

From a neurophysiological perspective, such an impact on the right front-parietal region can be quite concerning. This area of the brain is critical for functions related to movement coordination and sensory information processing. Initial symptoms could range from headache and dizziness to more subtle cognitive disruptions like difficulty concentrating or remembering strategies and plays. For an athlete like Djokovic, whose playing style relies heavily on precision, endurance, and strategic thinking, even slight impairments could affect his performance.
read the tweet from Dr. Mullen

The year only goes from bad to worse for the Serbian, who is having his fair share of poor luck. Djokovic has to take some scans to check his physical health for the next tournament, which is before the French Open. 

Novak Djokovic, stunned by the bottle hit, felt like a different player

Serbian ace Novak Djokovic found himself speaking about yet another early loss this season. He recently lost in a third-round clash against Alejandro Tabilo in straight sets at the Italian Open, marking one of his worst losses so far.

Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic (Via Imago)

However, Djokovic also blamed the bottle hit for his loss. Stating that he had no coordination and balance after the bottle hit, and felt like a different player altogether. 

Didn't feel anything, but I also didn't feel the same. Today, under high stress, it was quite bad - not in terms of pain, but in terms of this balance. Just no coordination. A completely different player from what it was two nights ago. 
said Novak Djokovic in the post-game press conference

With the French Open nearing by the minute, Djokovic finds himself with a handful of rank points to defend for the rest of the season. Luckily, Jannik Sinner is currently recovering from a serious injury and might miss a couple of tournaments. Only time will tell if Djokovic can find his mojo back and get back to winning titles. 

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