As the 24-time Grand Slam winning legend admitted he was facing a "new reality" after slumping to a third straight defeat against unseeded Italian Matteo Arnaldi at the Madrid Open, it was hard to escape the reality that this latest setback may have moved this iconic sportsman's retirement date forward.  

Djokovic's latest loss came on the back of a defeat by Jakob Mensik in the Miami final and what he described as a "horrible" display as he lost in his first match of the Monte Carlo Masters against Alejandro Tabilo.  

"Kind of a new reality for me, I have to say," conceded Djokovic. "Trying to win a match or two, not really thinking about getting far in the tournament - it's a completely different feeling from what I had in 20-plus years of professional tennis.  

"It's a challenge for me mentally to really face these kinds of sensations on the court, going out early now regularly in tournaments.

"You can imagine in 20 years, you know, I didn't experience what I'm experiencing in the last 12 months. So, you know, early exits and, you know, way too many. 

But it is part of the sport, and you have to accept the circumstances and try to make the best out of the circumstances in your favour for whatever is coming up.  

"Yes, I mean, look, I cannot sit here and complain about my career or anything, you know, I'm not doing that. But it's a different feeling that I just have to embrace, accept, and deal with in a special way." 

When asked if he had played his last match in Madrid, Djokovic gave a big hint that his last match as a professional may be sooner than even he expected a few weeks ago.   

"It could be. It could be. I'm not sure if I will come back," he said when asked if he expected to be at the Madrid Open in 2026. "I don't know, I don't know what to say. I mean, I will come back, maybe not as a player, of course. I hope it's not, but it could be."   

--SABC Sport--