Novak Djokovic crashed out of the U.S. Open in New York after a grueling five-set defeat against Argentina’s Mariano Navone, ending his streak of 77 first-round Grand Slam wins on a grueling, physically punishing night at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Novak Djokovic and Mariano Navone at Arthur Ashe Stadium
Novak Djokovic walked off the court in New York facing questions about his sporting mortality that he has rarely had to confront during a two-decade career at the top of men’s tennis. In a stunning upset on Arthur Ashe Stadium, Djokovic fell to Argentina’s Mariano Navone 7-6(5) 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a grueling four hours and 36 minutes.
The defeat shattered a remarkable streak. Djokovic had not lost a first-round match at a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open, when he was just the world No. 76. Now 39, he found himself struggling against an opponent who made his living mostly on clay and had won just a single match in the tournament’s main draw prior to this week. Sunday night in Arthur Ashe Stadium, Navone took down a lethargic and then limping, vomiting and then cramping, roaring and then resigned Djokovic.
A Physical Collapse Under the Stadium Lights
Weather conditions at the U.S. Open
What began as a promising start quickly unraveled into a physical ordeal. Djokovic initially sprinted to a 3-0 lead and looked in control, smacking three aces in his first two service games, but Navone ground him down by extending rallies. As the points stretched past half a dozen shots, the physical toll became obvious. Djokovic was frequently seen leaning over his knees between points, gasping for air. Throughout the night, Djokovic had a significant edge over Navone on points that were four shots or fewer, but anything longer than that went to Navone.
Weather conditions added an unpredictable element to the opening night. Seven games into the match, rain began to fall, the roof closed and the air conditioning clicked on. By that point, however, Djokovic had already surrendered his early break and appeared to be struggling physically. In the seventh game of the third set, he vomited in a bin on the side of the court in the middle of the game.
The crowd inside Arthur Ashe Stadium watched in stunned silence. As an eerie hush fell around Arthur Ashe Stadium, spectators realized the four-time champion was in serious trouble. Djokovic called out the doctor after the ninth game for some tablets to help alleviate what was bothering him, wearily bowing his head and bending over double between points as Navone maintained his focus to strike first after one hour and 13 minutes.
Declining Powers Against a Resilient Opponent
Mariano Navone and Jelena, Stefan and Tara
While Djokovic managed to rally under the cooler indoor conditions and level the match—even breaking for 5-4 in the third set with vintage aggression—he could not sustain the effort. Prime Djokovic routinely closed out matches from those positions, but this night proved different against Navone, who has never gone past the second round in New York.
Navone pressed his advantage in the later sets, exposing a widening gap in energy as Djokovic’s serve and groundstrokes dropped in speed. Navone sunk a dagger into Djokovic in the second game of the final set, pushing him around the court, then drawing him to the net. As Djokovic approached, Navone sent a backhand down the line that Djokovic couldn’t half-volley back over the net, causing Djokovic to stagger on his next steps, limping and wincing through the next games. The match slipped away as local time fast approached midnight, leaving his wife, Jelena, and his children, Stefan and Tara, sitting courtside and growing more glum by the game.
An awful feeling on the court for me,
he said. “It’s something that I’ve been carrying unfortunately pretty much every match this year. Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. And then my whole body, you know, starts to collapse. Cramping, pain. The back just gave up in the end, and the shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.”
Novak Djokovic outside the locker room
Speaking to reporters outside the locker room after the match, an exhausted and worn Djokovic did not offer excuses, though he admitted that his physical struggles had persisted since the fourth game. While praising his opponent as a nice guy, a fighter,
the 101-title winner acknowledged uncertainty over whether his body would allow him to resolve the recurring medical issues causing his body to break down on the court.
I’m trying, man, I’m trying,
he said. Let’s, let’s see.
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