Novak Djokovic upset by Mariano Navone in US Open first round
Novak Djokovic was beaten by Mariano Navone 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the first round of the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York in the early hours of Monday, leaving the 24-time grand slam title winner off the court after four hours and 36 minutes.
The defeat was Djokovic’s first opening‑round loss at a grand slam since 2006 and his first at the US Open; at 39 and after a record 84 grand slam main‑draw appearances, physical problems have defined much of his season. Five years earlier the same crowd had offered a standing ovation when his match against Daniil Medvedev slipped away, but in 2021 he had been three sets from completing the calendar‑year grand slam.
The match against Navone became a struggle from about 20 minutes in and was by far the longest grand slam first‑round match of Djokovic’s career. He spent much of the contest vomiting, cramping and voicing his dismay to his team before losing to Navone, a clay‑court specialist ranked outside the top 50.
Djokovic’s recent run of form and fitness problems were cited repeatedly: his run to the Australian Open final after a five‑set win against Jannik Sinner left him devoid of energy in the match against Carlos Alcaraz despite a walkover and a retirement victory en route. He was ravaged by injuries in the build‑up to the French Open, which was reflected in vomiting and cramping in his five‑set third‑round defeat against João Fonseca, and although he was more physically prepared for Wimbledon the tank was empty for his semi‑final with Sinner.
The result in New York had been foreshadowed by his second‑round defeat at the Cincinnati Open, where he struggled badly in humid conditions; Djokovic said he has been dealing with physical issues for some time and these episodes are no longer a surprise. Losing matches has been rare for him, but his time on court in New York looked like a miserable experience from the start, and he later said how much he despised his time on the court.
The article described Djokovic as the sport’s greatest physical titan who has pushed men’s tennis to greater heights with his physicality and endurance, and it added that the evidence increasingly suggests his body cannot keep up. He leaves New York facing perhaps the most serious period of reflection in his career, having long identified the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics as his ultimate target and a chance to defend his gold medal from Paris 2024; at 39, nearly two years is an eternity and the prospect of trying to keep his body together seems a daunting task.
Still, this is Novak Djokovic, who has won more than any other man in history. It is a reflection of his success and resilience that it is still unclear whether this is the defeat that causes the Serb to consider an end to his unprecedented career.