Novak Djokovic injury update: Everything Serb said about the head injury he suffered at Italian Open ahead of French Open title defence

Novak Djokovic was stunned by Chile’s Alejandro Tabilo in the third round of the Italian Open. The Serbian lost 6-2, 6-3, in just over an hour, to continue his middling run of form in 2024.

Talking to the media after his defeat, Djokovic opened up about the freak head injury he suffered after his second-round win against Corentin Moutet in Rome. He admitted that it could have played a part in his defeat at the Italian Open.

While signing autographs for the fans after his second-round victory, Djokovic was accidentally hit by a fan's metal water bottle. He fell to the ground in pain and received medical treatment before being taken into the locker room.

The 24-time Grand Slam champion later tweeted that he was doing fine after the incident and was ready for his match on Sunday. However, his shock defeat in the third round has him worried about the severe impact of his injury.

Djokovic admitted that he felt different on the court and struggled for balance throughout his third-round encounter. He further added that he felt like a "completely different" player from two days ago and could not cope with the pressure during the match.

"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. 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," Novak Djokovic said in a press conference.

He also confirmed that he is set to undergo scans to understand the severity of the injury before the start of the French Open.

"I have to do medical checkups and see what's going on, I didn't do any scans or any tests. Right now, I feel like I should do it," Djokovic added.

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"Unfortunate, unlucky situation for me" - Novak Djokovic on his freak head injury at the Italian Open

Novak Djokovic greets the fans after his third-round defeat at the Italian Open

When asked about his freak head injury, Novak Djokovic claimed that he was 'unlucky' to find himself in that position.

"I mean, I think in the video you saw it very clearly. It was a very unfortunate, unlucky situation for me. It was an accident where that guy leaned over the fence, and the bottle dropped from his rucksack and landed directly on my head. Then I felt a very strong hit in the head. That has, yeah, really impacted me a lot," Djokovic said.

Djokovic was quickly taken into the medical room where he was treated for his injury. He claimed that he felt the after-effects of headache, nausea and dizziness during the night, but felt better the next day.

"After that I got the medical care. Been through half an hour, an hour of nausea, dizziness, blood, a lot of different things. I managed to sleep okay. I had headaches. The next day or yesterday was pretty fine, so I thought it's okay," the Serbian added.

However, Djokovic's struggle against Tabilo has raised doubts on whether his head injury is worse than first suspected. He claimed that he could not find his rhythm during the match and admitted that he was concerned with his form ahead of the French Open.

"I mean, the way I felt on the court today was just completely like a different player entered into my shoes. Just no rhythm, no tempo, no balance whatsoever on any shot. It's a bit concerning," Djokovic concluded.

Novak Djokovic did not confirm his participation at the French Open, but is currently expected to arrive in Paris as he aims to defend his Roland Garros title.