Prizmic follows up on Djokovic exploit by reaching last 16
ROME: Dino Prizmic followed up knocking out Novak Djokovic from the Italian Open by beating France’s Ugo Humbert 6-1, 7-5 on Sunday to reach the last 16 in Rome.
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Zverev and Swiatek move into Italian Open third round
ROME: Alexander Zverev eased into the third round of the Italian Open on Friday after comfortably dealing with fellow German Daniel Altmaier in straight sets, 7-5, 6-3. A two-time former winner, Zverev took one hour and 45 minutes to see off Altmaier, who has never won a title on the men’s tour and didn’t have enough for the second seed. Zverev is in good form having reached the final in Madrid last weekend and he is again on the other side of the draw to red-hot favorite Jannik Sinner. The 29-year-old has been beaten by Sinner in four Masters 100 events this year and will have his work cut out if he is to add to his 2017 and 2024 titles in Rome. Novak Djokovic is set for his first appearance on clay this season when he plays 20-year-old Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic. The 38-year-old Djokovic has not played since losing in the last 16 at Indian Wells in March. He pulled out of tournaments in Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid while recovering from a shoulder injury. Three-time champion Iga Swiatek battled into the third round of the women’s tournament with a 6-1, 6-7 (5/7), 6-3 win over Caty McNally. Swiatek dropped serve in the opening game at the Foro Italico but rattled off the next six to seize control against the 63rd-ranked American.
Prizmic stuns idol Djokovic at the Italian Open
May 8 : Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic stunned his childhood hero Novak Djokovic 2-6 6-2 6-4 in the second round of the Italian Open on Friday, as the Serbian struggled with exhaustion and backhand errors in his first match on clay this year.
Novak Djokovic loses to qualifier, says he's missing half-step - ESPN
Novak Djokovic was beaten by a Croatian qualifier 18 years younger than him at the Italian Open on Friday in his first match after two months out due to a right shoulder injury.
Djokovic falls in Italian Open second round to qualifier Prizmic
ROME: Novak Djokovic was eliminated from the Italian Open in the second round on Friday by Croatian qualifier Dino Prizmic 2-6, 6-2, 6-4. The 24-time Grand Slam champion was making his comeback from a shoulder injury in the last big tournament before the French Open. Djokovic was playing for the first time since losing in the last 16 at Indian Wells in March, having pulled out of tournaments in Miami, Monte Carlo and Madrid. The 38-year-old had not been knocked out this early in a tournament since the Madrid Open last year, and looked a long way from the player who has won six Rome titles. Playing with a shoulder brace, Djokovic had breezed through the first set helped by Prizmic’s 13 unforced errors. But the world number four’s hitting started to look increasingly tentative as Prizmic rattled off four straight games at the start of the second set with his powerful ground strokes finding their mark. Prizmic came to the Italian capital with a career-high ranking of 79 after reaching the third round in Madrid — beating world number six Ben Shelton in the process — and had also dispatched Marton Fucsovics to set up his clash with Djokovic. The 20-year-old reached the third round of a second consecutive Masters 1000 event with the biggest scalp of his career to date. Djokovic is Prizmic’s idol, and a landmark win gives the young talent a match with either Ugo Humbert or Vit Kopriva and a chance to make the fourth round of a top-tier event on the ATP Tour for the first time.
Retire? New AC Milan Deal? Luka Modrić's Big Decision As World Cup Looms
Luka Modrić is facing a major decision about his future after suffering a facial injury while playing for AC Milan. The 40-year-old Croatian must now choose between extending his stay at San Siro or bringing his remarkable career to an end.
Modric undergoes cheekbone surgery weeks before World Cup
April 28 : Luka Modric has undergone successful surgery after fracturing his left cheekbone, the Croatian Football Federation said on Monday, weeks before the 40-year-old AC Milan midfielder is due to participate in his fifth World Cup.