Aug. 30, 2026Up to date Aug. 31, 2026, 12:40 a.m. ET
NEW YORK — Novak Djokovic, regardless of being 39 years previous, had pretty much as good an opportunity as anybody to make a deep run on the US Open and at last seize that also elusive twenty fifth Grand Slam title.
On middle 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 appeared torpid, moping round, taking tablets, throwing up, strolling as slowly as he may to the sideline, and was generally downright disinterested, towards Mariano Navone, and was surprised within the first spherical, 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, snapping a 78 first-round Grand Slam match profitable streak and bringing a shocking, 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 powerful for me since you are taking part in with the ‘GOAT’ on this court docket,” stated Navone after the match. “For certain it’s one of the best factor I’ve had on court docket. That is an incredible court docket and the most important stage. It’s superb, the best way we play. I imply, 5 units. … I’m very completely happy. I don’t know. What can I say?”
For the primary half-hour, Djokovic actually appeared the a part of a participant who would make fast work of the No. 49-ranked participant on the 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 massive lead and gained momentum with a strong ace for the equalizer at 4 video games every. Navone, who’s certainly one of 11 Argentinean males within the discipline, 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 way of to earn the momentum, profitable eight straight factors to even the match. However Djokovic willed his method by way 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 every thing he acquired, zapping his vitality with lengthy, prolonged rallies, a number of instances totaling greater than 20 pictures. However generally he couldn’t take full benefit of Djokovic’s 70 unforced errors, profitable solely six of the 17 break probabilities 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 through the third set towards Navone. He handled vomiting throughout his second-round loss to Thiago Agustin Tirante on the Cincinnati Open earlier this month.
“I feel 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 12 months.” Djovokic stated. “You understand, vomiting, throwing up, a critical subject there. Then my complete physique, you already know, 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 already know?
“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 need to take an excessive amount of out of his win. Congrats to him. He is a pleasant man, a fighter. However, you already know, I did not get pleasure from myself.”
Navone, who made historical past in 2024 by turning into the primary man within the Open Period to be seeded in his Grand Slam predominant draw debut on the French Open, will play the winner of Matteo Berrettini and Stan Wawrinka within the second spherical on Sept. 2.
