Djokovic, 39, says unsure how much longer he can continue after US Open first-round loss to Mariano Navone
Novak Djokovic said on 2026-08-31 that he was unsure “how much longer” he can continue after a grueling first-round exit at the US Open, where he lost 7-6, 5-7, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1 to Mariano Navone and broke down in tears on court.
The 39-year-old, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, struggled visibly in humid conditions at Arthur Ashe Stadium and endured a punishing physical ordeal that ended his bid for a 25th major. Djokovic entered New York having reached the Australian Open final and Wimbledon semi-finals earlier in the season and with limited preparation following a loss in Cincinnati to Thiago Agustin Tirante. His physical issues during the match included vomiting and cramps, and he used an ice bag on his head while asking whether the air conditioning could be switched on after the roof was closed because of rain.
Djokovic dropped the opening set, recovered to win the second and third sets, and then saw Navone regain control by taking the fourth set 6-2 and the final set 6-1. He vomited during the third set, received tablets from a tournament physio and fluids from his team courtside, and still managed to break Navone and move ahead in the fourth set before his serve was affected. Navone capitalised on Djokovic’s fading energy to close out the match.
Discussing the symptoms after the match, Djokovic said: “The vomiting, the gagging, it’s a serious problem. Then my whole body started to give way, with cramps and pain,” Djokovic said. “In the end, my back and shoulder also gave out, and I couldn’t finish the match. I was a break up in the fourth set, but I had already been struggling a lot from the fourth game onwards.”
When asked how he could address the physical problems, Djokovic said: “I don’t know [how I can solve it]. At the moment, I don’t want to go into too much detail. I’m just trying to understand what’s going on and how much longer I can keep going like this,” Djokovic said. He also confirmed that the thought of stopping crossed his mind: “Yes, I did,” Djokovic said when asked whether he had considered giving up. “But then I won one set and then another. At that point I said to myself: ‘OK, maybe there is a chance.’ I didn’t want to give up in the fourth or fifth set. I wanted to finish the match.”
The defeat ended Djokovic’s run of 78 consecutive first-round victories at Grand Slam events; his previous first-round loss at a major came against Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open. After the match he praised Navone and acknowledged the support from the New York crowd, saying: “I don’t want to take anything away from his victory. Congratulations to him. He’s a good guy and a fighter. But I didn't have fun out there.”
For now, Djokovic’s next step is to understand the physical problems that have affected him repeatedly this season. His comments in New York have ensured that the question of how much longer he can continue will remain a major talking point.
