Novak Djokovic doesn't rule out goodbye after defeat to Matteo Arnaldi

Novak Djokovic vented after his defeat to Matteo Arnaldi: “After losing a match you never feel good, but this year it happened to me several times in the first round, unfortunately. I knew it was going to be a tough debut match for me in this tournament. Arnaldi is a really strong, quality player. And I haven&#8217t played many matches on clay. I have been training well, but it is completely different when you get on the court for an official match. I think the good thing is that I had a lot more fun than in Monte-Carlo or some other tournament. But obviously the level of tennis is still not what I would like. This time I lost to a better player than me”.

“Not even for Madrid – Djokovic continued – I had expectations. I was hoping to play one more match than in Monte-Carlo. I have to say it is a new reality for me, trying to win a match or two, without thinking about going far in the tournament. It’s a completely different feeling from what I’ve experienced in over 20 years of professional tennis, so it’s kind of a mental challenge to deal with that kind of feeling on the court, going out early regularly in tournaments. But this is, I guess, the circle of life and career, eventually it would happen. Now I’m trying to use that as a driving force for the future. Obviously the Grand Slam tournaments, I&#8217ve said it many times, are the most important for me. Which doesn&#8217t mean I don&#8217t want to win here, of course I did, but the Slams are where I really want to play the best tennis. I don”t know if I can do it at Roland Garros, but I will do my best”.

Djokovic did not rule out that it could be his last match in Madrid: “It could be. It could be. I am not sure if I will come back. So, I don’t know, I don’t know what to say. I mean, I will come back, maybe not as a player, obviously. I hope not, but it could be so”.