Novak Djokovic suffered a shocking first-round exit at the US Open, falling in five sets to Argentine clay-court specialist Mariano Navone after battling severe physical distress, vomiting, and tears during a night session in New York. The 39-year-old Serbian star lost 6:7 (5:7), 7:5, 6:4, 2:6, 1:6 in four hours and 36 minutes before a stunned crowd that included his family.
Arthur Ashe Stadium Stunned in Five-Set Thriller
Twenty Years of Flushing Meadows History Upended
The match marked the first time in 20 appearances at Flushing Meadows that Djokovic has bowed out in the opening round. Having previously reached the semifinals at Wimbledon before suffering an opening defeat at the US Open tune-up tournament in Cincinnati, Djokovic started the match with a solid rhythm but quickly began accumulating errors. His serve frequently abandoned him, and he repeatedly buried his face in his towel during changeovers.
Cramps, Vomiting, and Medical Timeouts Under the Lights
Despite physical ailments that included visible breathing difficulties, cramps in the fourth set, and vomiting in a corner of the court, Djokovic managed to grind out breaks past the two-hour and three-hour marks to secure a temporary two-sets-to-one lead. Before the start of the deciding fifth set, he received medical treatment on his lower back. Navone capitalized on his opponent’s fading stamina to dominate the final set.
A Landmark Victory and the Ongoing Quest for Number 25
For Mariano Navone, currently ranked No. 49 in the world, the victory stands as a landmark moment in his career. “It is fantastic. The art, how we fought for over five hours—I don’t even know what to say,” Navone remarked after the encounter, adding that it was extremely difficult playing against the greatest competitor on that court. Djokovic won his last major title in New York in 2023 and continues his pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title.
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