Novak Djokovic's frustration boiled over during a practice session with Andy Murray at last year's Madrid Open, foreshadowing his withdrawal from this year's event. The 24-time Grand Slam champion was caught on camera shouting expletives after a series of errant shots, declaring, 'F*** this sport, f*** tennis, f*** everything.'
Djokovic's Struggles in Madrid
Djokovic, now 38, had been hoping for a strong performance in Madrid to build momentum for the French Open and Wimbledon. However, he admitted his game was not at the desired level. 'The priority is obviously trying to take the level of tennis that currently is maybe not where we want it to be to the higher level so that I can peak at the French Open,' he said at the time.
His frustrations continued as he suffered an early exit to Italian Matteo Arnaldi in straight sets. He later lost to Jannik Sinner in the semi-finals of both the French Open and Wimbledon, still chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title.
Murray Partnership Ends
Djokovic and Murray had been working together during the preparation for the Slams, but the partnership ended by mutual consent shortly after Madrid. Reflecting on the split, Djokovic said: 'We both wanted to have a call and to speak. We both were on the same page. It was not his initiative or my initiative. It was both of us coming together and just saying, 'You know, I think we should stop here.' That's what it was.'
Tennis fans had joked that Murray's on-court antics were rubbing off on Djokovic after the X-rated outburst. However, there has been no repeat of such behaviour following Djokovic's withdrawal from the 2026 Madrid Open. Carlos Alcaraz and British star Jack Draper have also skipped the event this year.
Djokovic remains determined to add to his Grand Slam tally, but his Madrid meltdown and subsequent split with Murray highlight the pressures he faced during a challenging period.
