Novak Djokovic’s bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title ended almost as soon as it began Sunday night, with Argentina’s Mariano Navone pulling off the biggest win of his career in the first round of the US Open. Navone, ranked No. 49 in the world, defeated the fourth-seeded Djokovic 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a four-hour, 36-minute battle inside Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The result was historic. Djokovic had never lost in the first round in 20 appearances at the US Open, and he had not been beaten in the opening round of any Grand Slam tournament since the 2006 Australian Open.For much of the night, it appeared the 39-year-old Serbian might escape.
Navone won a tight opening set in a tiebreak before Djokovic fought back to take the next two. Djokovic then broke serve early in the fourth set to take a 2-1 lead and appeared to be moving toward the second round. Instead, the match changed dramatically.
Djokovic had been struggling physically throughout the night and his condition worsened as the match stretched past three hours. He vomited during the match and later said he was dealing with cramping as well as pain in his back and shoulder. Navone immediately broke back in the fourth set and began taking control. The 25-year-old Argentine won five of the next six games to force a deciding set, while Djokovic’s movement and energy continued to fade.
The fifth set quickly became one-sided. Navone broke Djokovic repeatedly and closed out the biggest upset of the opening day with a 6-1 final set.Djokovic finished with 70 unforced errors and converted only four of his 12 break-point opportunities. Navone converted six of 17. Afterward, Djokovic acknowledged that the physical problems were not limited to Sunday night. He said he has been dealing with vomiting and other issues during matches throughout the year and that his body eventually begins to break down.
“I’m trying, man. I’m trying,” Djokovic said when asked whether the problem could be fixed.The defeat continued a troubling North American hard-court stretch for Djokovic. He also lost his opening match at the Cincinnati Open earlier in August, falling to another Argentine, Thiago Agustin Tirante.
New York appeared to offer Djokovic a chance to reset. He entered as the No. 4 seed and was chasing the one major milestone still hanging over his career: a 25th Grand Slam singles championship. Instead, his tournament lasted one match. Djokovic remains tied with Margaret Court at 24 major singles titles and will now have to wait until at least the 2027 Australian Open for another opportunity to reach 25. For Navone, the night represented the opposite end of the tennis spectrum.
The Argentine arrived in New York better known for his results on clay than hard courts. He entered the match with one ATP Tour title and only two previous US Open victories. Facing one of the most successful players in tennis history under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium, he refused to go away even after Djokovic took control in the middle of the match.
“It is a dream come true,” Navone said after the victory. Navone now moves into the second round, where he will face the winner of the match between three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka and Matteo Berrettini. Djokovic, meanwhile, leaves New York after the earliest Grand Slam exit of his career in two decades and with renewed questions about whether his body can continue to withstand the demands of five-set tennis.
