Mariano Navone stuns Novak Djokovic

Mariano Navone’s win over Novak Djokovic landed as one of the tournament’s earliest shocks because it ended a run of first-round Grand Slam safety that had lasted two decades. The Argentine beat the No. 4 seed 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday night, August 30, at Arthur Ashe Stadium in a match that lasted 4 hours and 36 minutes, according to the US Open and ATP Tour. It was Djokovic’s first opening-round loss at the US Open and his first first-round defeat at any major since the 2006 Australian Open. Navone, who had built much of his tour reputation on clay, did it on the biggest hard-court stage in the sport. ### How unusual was this loss for Djokovic? Novak Djokovic had not lost in the first round of a Grand Slam since January 2006, ATP Tour said. The US Open said Navone became only the third man to beat Djokovic in the opening round of a major, joining Marat Safin and Paul-Henri Mathieu. The 39-year-old Serbian also came into New York chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title. (usopen.org) ATP Tour said he entered the tournament with a 95-15 career record at the US Open, including titles in 2011, 2014, 2018 and 2023. ### What did the match itself look like? Arthur Ashe Stadium saw the match swing hard after Djokovic took the third set and appeared to have steadied himself. (atptour.com) Navone stayed close early, won the opening tiebreak, then lost the next two sets before taking control late as Djokovic’s movement and stamina dropped off. The final two sets went 6-2, 6-1 to Navone. (atptour.com) The ATP Tour described Navone as physically and mentally composed as the match wore on. The US Open’s match report said he pulled away in the last two sets while Djokovic struggled physically. ### What did Djokovic say was wrong physically? Djokovic said after the match that he had been dealing with recurring physical problems through much of the year. “It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year,” he said, according to the US Open. (usopen.org) He cited vomiting, cramping, pain, and a broader physical breakdown during matches. The US Open also reported that Djokovic said he “pretty much despised every moment” he spent on court from the perspective of how his body felt, while separately thanking the New York crowd for its support. ATP Tour quoted him calling it “an awful feeling on the court.” (usopen.org) ### Why is Navone’s side of the story notable? Mariano Navone described the victory as a “dream come true,” ATP Tour said. That reaction fit the scale of the result: he had previously pushed Rafael Nadal in Bastad in 2024 but left without the signature win he wanted, and this time he finished the job against another all-time champion. (usopen.org) ATP Tour also noted that Navone arrived in New York with a modest hard-court record by top-level standards. Before facing Djokovic, he was 12-29 at tour level on hard courts and 4-8 on the surface in 2026, making the result even more jarring in statistical terms. ### What happens next in the draw? Navone’s immediate next step is the second round in New York, where the upset winner moves forward and Djokovic does not. (atptour.com) Djokovic’s exit ends his 2026 US Open before the tournament’s first week, while Navone gets the chance to turn one of the biggest wins of his career into a deeper run at Flushing Meadows. (usopen.org) (atptour.com)