Novak Djokovic’s poor run of form has sparked a debate.

Novak Djokovic is on a three-match losing streak and has no wins on clay in 2025 (Image: Getty)

Annabel Croft believes that Novak Djokovic is losing his “aura” following his latest defeat in Madrid. The world No. 5 is on a three-match losing streak and has been dumped out in the opening round in four of his last five tournaments. Following his loss to Matteo Arnaldi on Saturday, Djokovic has now pulled out of the upcoming Masters 1000 in Rome and is running out of chances to get wins under his belt going into the French Open.

While retired British tennis player Colin Fleming isn’t ruling Djokovic out at Roland Garros and thinks he could play his way into form, Croft disagreed with her fellow Sky Sports pundit and shared fears that things will only get worse for the 24-time Major winner.

Djokovic has found himself in a rough patch with the French Open just weeks away. The 37-year-old has yet to win a match on clay this year and suffered three losses in a row for the second time this season, and his current form has divided experts.

Djokovic has made it clear that his focus is on the Grand Slam tournaments and he previously said the French Open was his only goal for the clay swing.

Although he has struggled with motivation, former British doubles star Fleming still believes that Djokovic can rock up and win the biggest tournaments.

“If you look at the Paris [Olympics], the gold medal, he lost in the Wimbledon final, didn’t play a match on clay, turned up and won the gold medal,” Fleming said on Sky Sports.

Colin Fleming and Annabel Croft were divided over Novak Djokovic’s chances at the French Open (Image: Sky Sports)

“So I think he’s still got an inner confidence that, when the time comes, the ones that he is really motivated for the most, the Grand Slams now, to get 25. I still think he thinks he can turn it on. I don’t think he was in the right headspace to compete here. He was sort of flat.”

Fleming also thinks the two-week schedule at a Major tournament will work in Djokovic’s favour, where he can play himself into form by the time he faces top players in the latter rounds.

“Look, it’s not ideal for him but I wouldn’t rule him out just yet of getting [Grand Slam] number 25 and indeed title number 100 but I think 25 is the big thing for him,” he added.

Croft wasn’t convinced, however, pointing out that players now had the belief they could beat Djokovic.

“He’s been tending to break down. He’s 37, nearly 38, not going to get any easier and I think everything is just looking very tough and very uphill,” she explained.

“And I think you mentioned the word aura, a lot of players now walk onto court thinking, ‘Well I do have a chance against him because he’s not playing great tennis’. Even Arnaldi who beat him here said, ‘He was always my idol, I was shaking like a leaf before I went on court’.

“They all, in the past, would have been panicking about whether they were going to get games on the board, and now I think maybe there’s a feeling when more and more players of a lower ranking start to beat him, they all have a chance and that makes it doubly difficult for him.”

For now, Djokovic has not entered any other tournaments before the French Open. The week before Roland Garros, there is an ATP 500 in Hamburg and an ATP 250 in Geneva, and he could take a late wildcard as he did last year.

But the 37-year-old is coming to terms with his “new reality” of early exits and has already conceded that he won’t be one of the favourites in Paris despite being a three-time former champion.