Novak Djokovic suffered his first opening-round defeat at a Grand Slam tournament in more than 20 years on Sunday, losing to Argentina’s Mariano Navone 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
The 39-year-old Djokovic vomited several times courtside and appeared to be in severe pain during the final sets. Navone, 25, won 11 of the last 12 games to secure the biggest victory of his career after 4 hours, 35 minutes.
Djokovic battled until the end but had little left physically. The defeat was his first in the opening round of a major tournament since the 2006 Australian Open.
“When it comes to match itself and overall feeling of how I felt with body and playing, it was really not enjoyable,” Djokovic said after the match. “I pretty much despised every moment that I spent on the court for that.”
Djokovic struggled from the start
Before Sunday night, Djokovic had a 19-0 record in US Open opening matches. The 24-time Grand Slam champion arrived in New York with limited match practice, having played only once since reaching the Wimbledon semifinals. He lost his opening match in Cincinnati and later said he had been dealing with a health condition that often worsened in humid weather.
Djokovic appeared comfortable when he took a 4-1 lead in the first set, but his condition began to deteriorate soon afterward. He appeared to vomit several times in a corner of the court as Navone extended rallies, retrieved everything and repeatedly forced Djokovic to hit another shot.
Navone’s strategy paid off. He won the opening set in a tiebreak after 1 hour, 15 minutes.
Djokovic struggled to hit through his opponent but managed to take the second set. After winning the third set and breaking serve to lead 2-1 in the fourth, he appeared to be moving toward victory. Instead, his physical problems intensified. Djokovic bent over, struggled to breathe and later took a medical timeout for a back issue before the fifth set.
He looked to be in real pain at the start of the final set and appeared to be fighting back tears. Unable to serve anywhere near full speed, Djokovic watched Navone pull away to complete the biggest win of his career.
Mariano Navone earns biggest win of his career
Navone had never won a five-set match before Sunday and had never advanced beyond the third round at a Grand Slam. He nevertheless matched Djokovic physically during the early stages and made every point difficult by chasing down shots across the court.
Even when Djokovic took control and created break-point opportunities, Navone showed considerable resilience. He saved eight of the 12 break points he faced and repeatedly prevented Djokovic from closing out quick service games.
Navone also held his nerve late in the match after Djokovic cut the deficit to 3-1 and threatened a comeback. The Argentine responded by breaking for the sixth time before serving out the victory and securing a place in the second round.
What Djokovic’s defeat means for his future
The loss will be a painful one for Djokovic, who had never envisioned leaving the US Open in the first round. He showed his usual respect for his opponent after the match with a warm handshake and kind words, but the early exit is a major disappointment.
It is too soon to know whether Djokovic will return to the US Open. He reached the Australian Open final in January and the Wimbledon semifinals despite having very little match practice.
Djokovic has also spoken about competing at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Although that goal may currently seem distant, he has shown that he can still compete with the world’s best at age 39.
However, the challenge is becoming increasingly difficult. His pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title now appears further away than it did before Sunday’s defeat.
How Djokovic’s loss changes the US Open
For the first time since 2003, a Grand Slam tournament will move into the second round without Djokovic, Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer.
The result also opens up the bottom half of the draw. With Jannik Sinner out and Carlos Alcaraz returning after only four months away because of a wrist injury, the tournament could offer an American man a chance to win the title for the first time since Andy Roddick triumphed in 2003.
Frances Tiafoe and Brandon Nakashima could benefit most from Djokovic’s exit in that section of the draw, although former champion Daniil Medvedev will also believe he has a chance to advance deep into the tournament.
