Novak Djokovic is having to accept a "new reality" after he suffered an early exit from the Madrid Open.

Three-time Madrid champion Djokovic went down 6-3 6-4 to Matteo Arnaldi on Saturday.

Djokovic has now lost his opening match at four of the last five tournaments he has played, with the only exception coming as he reached the final of the Miami Open last month, only to fall short of winning his 100th ATP Tour-level title.

The 37-year-old has also been hindered by injuries this season, with his last title having come back at last year's Olympics, when he beat Carlos Alcaraz on the clay in Paris.

And Djokovic conceded he is having to get used to being far away from his best level.

"This level of tennis is not where I would like it to be, I lost to a better player," he said, as quoted by BBC Sport.

"I've had a few of these this year where I lose in the first round, unfortunately.

"[It's a] kind of new reality for me, I have to say. You know, 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, so it's kind of a challenge for me mentally to really face these kind of sensations on the court, going out early now regularly in the tournaments.

"But that's, I guess, the circle of life and the career. Eventually, it was going to happen."

2 - Novak Djokovic has lost consecutive opening matches in ATP-1000 events (Monte Carlo & Madrid 2025) for just the second time in his career after losing at Indian Wells and Miami in 2018. Struggle. #MMOPEN | @MutuaMadridOpen @atptour @ATPMediaInfo pic.twitter.com/5JDhBhKJyv

— OptaAce (@OptaAce) April 26, 2025

After his loss at the Monte-Carlo Masters earlier this month, the 24-time major champion has lost consecutive opening matches in ATP 1000 events for just the second time in his career after losing at the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open in 2018.

Djokovic made a point of waving goodbye to the crowd after his loss, and he suggested this may have been his final appearance at the tournament.

"I'm not sure if I will come back. So, I don't know," he said.

"I mean, I'll come back, maybe not as a player. I hope it's not, but it could be."