NEW DELHI: Mariano Navone walked into Arthur Ashe Stadium because the lesser-known title, a 25-year-old Argentine dealing with one of many largest names tennis has ever produced. He walked out with the largest victory of his profession; and, maybe most remarkably, having overwhelmed the participant he as soon as watched and idolised.Navone surprised Novak Djokovic within the first spherical of the US Open on Sunday, successful 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a marathon that lasted 4 hours and 36 minutes. Djokovic, the 24-time Grand Slam champion, was battling bodily issues and frustration, however Navone refused to be intimidated by the event or his opponent.The Argentine saved coming even after Djokovic took management by successful the second and third units. By the fourth, Djokovic was visibly struggling, whereas Navone sensed a possibility and seized it. He finally turned the primary participant to beat Djokovic within the opening spherical of the US Open and handed the Serbian his earliest Grand Slam exit in twenty years.For Navone, although, the importance went past the scoreboard.“(It) was very powerful for me since you are enjoying with the ‘GOAT’ on this court docket,” Navone mentioned, recalling the surreal expertise of dealing with his childhood idol. “For certain it is the most effective factor I’ve had on court docket. That is an incredible court docket and the largest stage. It is superb, the way in which we play. I imply, 5 units. … I am very pleased. I do not know. What can I say?”After which got here the only description of what the night time meant to him: “It is unbelievable. This implies rather a lot. It is a dream come true.”
From spending weekends on the membership to the largest stage
Navone’s relationship with tennis started lengthy earlier than the brilliant lights of New York. He picked up a racket at an area membership in Argentina when he was simply three years outdated. Tennis was not one thing that entered his life from the surface, it was already woven into his household.“I discovered with a coach. My sister, mom, and father all play tennis. They love tennis,” Navone mentioned in a 2023 interview.The membership rapidly turned virtually a second house. His uncle, members of the family and associates had been common opponents, and Navone spent a lot of his childhood there.“I performed lots of matches on the membership with my uncle, household, associates. On a regular basis, I went to the membership. At seven or eight, I might spend 5 or 6 hours all of the weekends. I used to be there on a regular basis once I was child!”That early immersion helped form the participant he would finally turn into: aggressive, resilient and comfy grinding by lengthy matches.His rise, nonetheless, was removed from in a single day.Earlier than breaking into the world’s prime 100, Navone spent years working his method by the ATP Challenger circuit. By 2023, he had received 5 Challenger titles, all coming within the earlier yr. These tournaments turned the muse of his skilled profession and, as he defined, modified his outlook on the game.“Challengers have modified my life,” he mentioned. “I made my first remaining in 2022 in Corrientes. In that second, I used to be round 520 within the rankings. The extent of Challengers has given me the whole lot. The matches have lots of depth. The competitors, the gamers are so particular. They’ve developed my recreation and mentality. It is a problem on a regular basis to win matches. It’s extremely troublesome to win.”
The rise of ‘La Navoneta ’
Navone’s breakthrough arrived on the Rio Open in 2023. He entered the ATP 500 occasion with no single tour-level victory and left it as one of many week’s largest tales.He had beforehand gone 0-2 at tour degree, dropping within the first spherical at Cordoba after which Buenos Aires. Rio modified the whole lot.Beginning by qualifying, Navone defeated Federico Coria, Yannick Hanfmann, Joao Fonseca and defending champion Cameron Norrie to succeed in the ultimate. He turned solely the eleventh qualifier to succeed in an ATP 500 remaining because the collection started in 2009.His run additionally despatched him hovering up the rankings. From No. 113, he was set to interrupt into the world’s prime 100 for the primary time and will have climbed as excessive as No. 40 with the title.There was one other a part of Navone’s rising id that followers had been starting to embrace. It was his nickname, “La Navoneta”.“La Navoneta” is a playful reference to “La Scaloneta”, the nickname related to Argentina’s nationwide soccer workforce supervisor Lionel Scaloni.“La Navoneta is like the identical, however with much less individuals as a result of I am not very well-known!” Navone mentioned. “The individuals symbolize me with that as a result of I’ve charisma, so I believe the individuals symbolize me with that title. The individuals do not say, ‘Mariano’, they are saying ‘La Navoneta’!”The nickname suited a participant whose rise had turn into a narrative of momentum, persistence and perception.But there was one other Argentine affect in his tennis. Navone grew up admiring David Nalbandian, notably the previous world No. 3’s backhand. He referred to as Nalbandian an excellent participant and particular person.However above all, there was Djokovic.Navone’s admiration for the Serbian started when he was a toddler watching Grand Slam tennis. He remembers seeing Djokovic win his first Australian Open title in 2008 and instantly recognising one thing particular.“I noticed him at Roland Garros, as a result of I performed my first Grand Slam [last] yr and I mentioned, ‘Wow!’ I’m a fan of Djokovic, I believe he is the most effective participant I’ve seen on the court docket. Once I noticed him win his first Grand Slam on the 2008 Australian Open, I used to be like, ‘Wow, this man could be very particular!’ and what a profession, proper?”Years later, the boy who watched Djokovic from afar stood throughout the web from him on the largest event of his life.And this time, it was Navone who made the reminiscence, by sending his idol house.
