“I Think It’s a Huge Positive Sign”: Laura Robson Not Concerned About Novak Djokovic’s Defeat in Qatar Open First Round
Former British tennis star Laura Robson has downplayed concerns over Novak Djokovic’s shocking first-round exit at the Qatar Open, describing it as a “huge positive sign” for the Serbian ahead of the upcoming major events. Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, suffered an unexpected defeat to world No. 46, Tomas Machac, in Doha, marking one of his earliest tournament exits in recent years.
Despite the surprise result, Robson believes there is no reason to worry. Speaking on a post-match analysis show, she emphasized that Djokovic often uses these smaller ATP events to fine-tune his game rather than chase titles. “I think it’s a huge positive sign,” Robson said. “We’ve seen this before—Novak sometimes takes a loss early in the season, and it actually helps him prepare for the bigger events. He knows exactly what he needs to work on.”
Djokovic, who skipped last week’s Rotterdam Open, looked rusty in his first match since the Australian Open, where he was eliminated in the semifinals by Jannik Sinner. Against Machac, the 36-year-old struggled with his usual precision, making uncharacteristic errors and failing to capitalize on key moments.
Robson, however, highlighted Djokovic’s long-term perspective. “He’s always been someone who prioritizes peaking at the right time. He’ll take this as a learning experience, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he comes back even stronger.”
With Indian Wells and the Miami Open approaching, Djokovic will have more opportunities to regain form before the clay season begins. While some may see his defeat as a setback, Robson’s perspective suggests it could be a blessing in disguise for the wor
ld No. 1.
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