A Historic Upset Under the Lights
Novak Djokovic grinded through physical and internal ailments, made one mistake after another and could not find what it took to beat a feisty, younger opponent who was not intimidated under the lights against tennis’ most decorated player. Mariano Navone etched his name into history books after the 25-year-old upset 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the first round of the ongoing US Open 2026 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday.
The 39-year-old is out of the U.S. Open after a first-round defeat to Mariano Navone on Sunday night, losing 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a five-set marathon that lasted four hours and 36 minutes. It was the longest opening match of a Grand Slam in Djokovic’s career. The fourth seed fought back from a set down but, after battling severe physical issues throughout the night, eventually fell, his latest push for a record 25th Grand Slam title hitting a roadblock in New York.
It was the first time Djokovic lost a first-round match at any Grand Slam in the last 20 years and third overall since making his debut in 2005. The defeat brought an extraordinary Grand Slam streak to an end. Djokovic had won 78 consecutive opening-round matches at the majors before Navone stopped him, with his previous first-round defeat coming against Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open. He was also four victories away from surpassing Jimmy Connors’ record of 98 US Open match wins.
Severe Physical Toll: “My Whole Body Starts to Collapse”
Djokovic’s physical struggles were evident from the early stages on Arthur Ashe Stadium. The No. 4 seed from Serbia cruised to early 3-0 and 4-1 leads before blowing them and losing the first set—an error-strewn tiebreak. Before the roof was closed because of inclement weather, the 39-year-old repeatedly used an ice bag on his head, appeared uncomfortable in the humid New York conditions and even asked the supervisor whether the air conditioning could be switched on once the roof was shut.
He bent over at the back of the court before continuing. The physical difficulties became particularly severe in the third set when Djokovic vomited on court. He threw up at least once and later appeared to be cramping when he grabbed at his left foot. A tournament physio provided him with tablets and his team supplied fluids from courtside as the contest stretched towards its fourth hour.
“It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year: vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there,” Djokovic said. “Then my whole body 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.”
Djokovic swallowed pills brought to him by a doctor and had his lower back massaged during a medical timeout between the fourth and fifth sets, and he grimaced after several shots.
“The vomiting, the gagging, it’s a serious problem,” Djokovic told reporters. “I was a break up in the fourth set, but I had already been struggling a lot from the fourth game onwards. When it comes to match itself and overall feeling of how I felt with body and playing, it was really not enjoyable. I pretty much despised every moment that I spent on the court for that.”
Djokovic made 70 unforced errors in a painful performance that ended mere minutes before midnight. “I didn’t enjoy myself,” Djokovic said. “I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me.”
Djokovic’s Tears Define Decider
The fifth set quickly became increasingly difficult for Djokovic. As Navone jumped to a 3-0 lead and established a 4-1 lead in the decisive set, the Serbian appeared completely drained, struggling to match the Argentine’s intensity. Then came the most striking moment of the night: Djokovic began crying on court during the deciding set, visibly anguished as he watched the match slip further away from him.
The tears came after hours of battling the heat, dehydration, illness and a relentless opponent. With his wife, Jelena, watching from the stands with worried looks on her face, Djokovic had moments where he looked like one of the best to play the sport, but his extraordinary fightback had ultimately fallen short.
The former world No. 1 acknowledged that the possibility of stopping had crossed his mind during the contest, but he chose to continue fighting rather than retire from the match. “Yes, I did,” Djokovic replied 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.”
Mariano Navone’s Masterpiece
Navone — a 25-year-old from Argentina who earlier this year won his first ATP singles title — did not go away. Ranked 49th in the ATP Rankings, Navone remained composed through the closing stages, dropping just one point on his own serve as he sprinted to the finish line, eventually closing out the fifth set 6-1 to complete one of the biggest victories of his career.
Born in 2001 in Nueve de Julio, Buenos Aires, Navone admitted that it was a rare opportunity to play Djokovic on the grandest of stages.
“It’s crazy what just happened,” Navone said after the victory. “I started 3-0 down, nervous because of the figure I had in front of me. It’s difficult to take an idol down from the poster, but I became more challenging.”
Navone rallied from behind to beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion, and called it a dream come true. “(It) was very tough for me because you are playing with the ‘GOAT’ on this court,” said Navone. “For sure it’s the best thing I’ve had on court. This is an amazing court and the biggest stage. It’s amazing, the way we play. I mean, five sets. … I’m very happy. I don’t know. What can I say?”
In the second round, Navone will be up against either Italian Matteo Berrettini or wildcard entrant Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland.
What it Means: Is This the End?
With this defeat, 21 years to the day of his U.S. Open debut, the question now lingers as to whether this was Djokovic’s final match at this or any Grand Slam. It extended a nightmare stretch for Djokovic, who also lost in the first round at the hardcourt tuneup in Cincinnati earlier this month. That was his first action since losing to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the semifinals at Wimbledon.
Djokovic’s latest Grand Slam campaign ended in painful fashion, with the 39-year-old admitting he is uncertain about how much longer he can continue competing at the highest level.
“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, adding that he is “trying to address really what’s going on and how far I can go this way.”
His pursuit of a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title came to an abrupt conclusion, and his push will have to continue beyond Flushing Meadows—if his body allows him to return.
Sources: Associated Press (via Stephen Whyno), LiveMint, India Today, Athlon Sports, Hindustan Times
Leo Falsafi is a digital marketing veteran and senior journalist at Virlan.co, where he covers the intersection of digital marketing, gaming, and breaking US trending news. With nearly two decades of hands-on experience in SEO and digital strategy, Leo has consulted for and scaled hundreds of companies. His deep industry roots allow him to deliver sharp, fact-checked insights and analysis on the trends shaping today’s digital landscape.
