WATCH: Novak Djokovic hit on the head with a bottle, crumbles to the ground in pain while signing autographs for fans after Italian Open 2R victory

Novak Djokovic's joy after securing a second-round win at the 2024 Italian Open was short-lived, as the Serb was subjected to a bizarre incident while signing autographs for fans.

Djokovic took on Moutet under the lights in Rome on Friday and secured a straight-forward 6-3, 6-1 victory over the Frenchman in under an hour and 30 minutes. The match was his first in nearly a month, as the Serb had skipped the Madrid Open and was coming off a semifinal exit at the Monte-Carlo Masters.

Following the victory, the World No. 1 was on his way out of the court when he stopped by to sign autographs for fans. It was at that moment that what appeared to be a water bottle stuck him on the head, causing the 36-year-old to immediately fall to the ground in pain while clutching his head.

As of this moment, it's not clear whether the bottle slipped out of a fan's hands from the stands or it was an act of intentional malice against the 24-time Grand Slam champion. Security personnel on site immediately rushed to secure the Serb, and it has been reported that he was taken to medical care without delay.

From the video clip (shared on Twitter by userid: '@DelMartin0'), the identity of the person who was responsible for the incident is also not known yet. Here's the clip of the incident:

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Novak Djokovic to take on Alejandro Tabilo in Italian Open third round

Internazionali BNL D'Italia 2024 - Day Five

Novak Djokovic is scheduled to take on 29th seed Alejandro Tabilo in the third round of the 2024 Italian Open next. Tabilo and Djokovic will meet for the first time on the ATP Tour in Rome this week.

It remains to be seen what the extent of the World No. 1's injury is and whether he will be fit enough to take the court. It's possible that Djokovic and his team will urge extra caution and take the safer alternative of withdrawing from the event and prioritizing his rest, considering the upcoming French Open.

Djokovic is the defending champion at Roland Garros this year, having won his third title at the tournament in 2023 with a victory over Casper Ruud in the final. He will be joined by the likes of 14-time Grand Slam champion Rafael Nadal, Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner in Paris.