Novak Djokovic suffered a shock first-round exit at the US Open on August 31, 2026, falling to Argentina’s Mariano Navone 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a grueling five-set marathon lasting four hours and 36 minutes. The 39-year-old 24-time Grand Slam champion admitted he “despised” every moment of the contest, which marked his earliest exit at a major in 20 years.
Physical Struggles and Longest Opening Slam Match
The top-four seed from Serbia looked physically spent throughout the match, vomiting courtside, throwing up by the towel box, and frequently doubling over in pain. Djokovic received medical attention from a doctor who brought him pills, while his lower back was massaged during a medical timeout between the fourth and fifth sets.
“It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year,” Djokovic told reporters, as reported by The Independent. “You know, vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body, you know, starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain. Yeah, the back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out?”
The defeat represented the longest opening match of a Grand Slam in Djokovic’s career. His previous earliest major exit occurred at the 2006 Australian Open against Paul Goldstein, and Sunday night’s loss marked his first-ever opening-round defeat at Flushing Meadows.
Match Flow and Mariano Navone’s Breakthrough
Djokovic initially controlled the early stages of the match, building 3-0 and 4-1 leads in the opening set before Navone battled back to secure the first frame in a tie-break.
Navone, a 25-year-old world number 49 who won his first ATP singles title earlier in the year at the Țiriac Open in Bucharest, capitalized on Djokovic’s physical decline in the fourth and fifth sets. Navone conceded just two games across the final two sets to seal the biggest victory of his career.
Looking Ahead After the US Open Defeat
The loss extends a difficult stretch for the Serbian star following a second-round exit at the hardcourt tune-up event in Cincinnati earlier in August, which followed his semifinal defeat to Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon. Speaking after the match, Djokovic addressed questions regarding his future at the major tournaments.
“Can the issue be fixed? I don’t know. I’m trying, man. I’m trying. Let’s see,” Djokovic said, according to The Independent.
>Worth a look