Aug. 30, 2026Up to date Aug. 31, 2026, 12:40 a.m. ET
NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic, regardless of being 39 years outdated, had pretty much as good an opportunity as anybody to make a deep run on the US Open and eventually seize that also elusive twenty fifth Grand Slam title.
On heart stage at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the place he has captured 4 US Open championships, together with his final Grand Slam triumph in 2023, the best males’s Grand Slam winner in historical past regarded torpid, moping round, taking tablets, throwing up, strolling as slowly as he may to the sideline, and was generally downright disinterested, in opposition to Mariano Navone, and was shocked within the first spherical, 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, snapping a 78 first-round Grand Slam match successful streak and bringing a surprising, fast finish to his match with the questions once more if he has a lot left within the tank.
Djokovic’s opening-round exit was the primary at a Grand Slam for the reason that Australian Open in 2006, a match he would go on to win 10 instances. It’s additionally his first loss within the two rounds on the US Open, having received his earlier 37 such matches.
The four-hour, 36-minute first-round match lastly ended when the fourth-seeded Djokovic’s weak return throughout the web was returned, and he may do nothing to cease it.
“(It) was very robust for me since you are enjoying with the ‘GOAT’ on this court docket,” stated Navone after the match. “For positive it’s the very best factor I’ve had on court docket. That is a tremendous court docket and the most important stage. It’s wonderful, the best way we play. I imply, 5 units. … I’m very blissful. I don’t know. What can I say?”
For the primary half-hour, Djokovic actually regarded the a part of a participant who would make fast work of the No. 49-ranked participant on this planet, sprinting out to a 3-0 and 4-1 lead within the first set, earlier than falling aside below a hail of sloppy play, piling up the unforced errors seemingly on each return.
Navone broke Djokovic twice after that large lead and gained momentum with a robust ace for the equalizer at 4 video games every. Navone, who’s one in every of 11 Argentinean males within the subject, took cost and took the set in a tiebreak, once more with the distress ended, the primary set when he hit Navone’s return into the web.
Neither man would break over the primary 10 video games of the second set till Djokovic powered by means of to earn the momentum, successful eight straight factors to even the match. However Djokovic willed his approach by means of the third set with one other breakthrough, taking the ultimate two video games and imploring the Ashe crowd to get louder.
Navone was actually recreation all through, making Djokovic work for the whole lot he obtained, zapping his vitality with lengthy, prolonged rallies, a number of instances totaling greater than 20 photographs. However generally he couldn’t take full benefit of Djokovic’s 70 unforced errors, successful solely six of the 17 break possibilities he had, although he earned an enormous break within the fourth set to take command.
Whereas Djovokic strikes on/was eradicated, questions on his well being will proceed to linger, particularly after he vomited in the course of the third set in opposition to Navone. He handled vomiting throughout his second-round loss to Thiago Agustin Tirante on the Cincinnati Open earlier this month.
“I believe it was apparent that it was an terrible feeling on the court docket for me. It is one thing that I have been carrying, sadly, just about each match this yr.” Djovokic stated. “You realize, vomiting, throwing up, a severe concern there. Then my complete physique, you realize, begins to break down, principally cramping and ache. Yeah, the again simply gave up ultimately and shoulder, and I could not shut it out, you realize?
“I used to be a break up within the fourth, however simply struggled all the best way for the reason that fourth recreation of the match. Once more, I do not wish to take an excessive amount of out of his win. Congrats to him. He is a pleasant man, a fighter. However, you realize, I did not get pleasure from myself.”
Navone, who made historical past in 2024 by changing into the primary man within the Open Period to be seeded in his Grand Slam most important draw debut on the French Open, will play the winner of Matteo Berrettini and Stan Wawrinka within the second spherical on Sept. 2.
