Novak Djokovic loses at US Open

Novak Djokovic’s U.S. Open ended on the first night of the tournament, and the details matter because it was not a routine upset. Mariano Navone, the Argentine world No. 49, beat Djokovic 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday, August 30, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, sending the 24-time Grand Slam champion out in the first round. U.S. Open and ATP Tour reports said Djokovic was physically struggling through the match, and Djokovic later described the night as “an awful feeling on the court.” The result was historically unusual for Djokovic. ATP Tour data said it was his first first-round loss at a major since the 2006 Australian Open, and U.S. Open coverage said he had been 37-0 in the first two rounds in New York before facing Navone. That is why the loss immediately changed the shape of the men’s draw. ### How did the match turn against Djokovic? (usopen.org) Navone won in 4 hours and 31 minutes after Djokovic took the second and third sets and briefly looked as if he had regained control. The Argentine stayed with him early, took the first-set tiebreak, then pulled away once Djokovic’s movement and energy dropped in the fourth and fifth sets. ATP Tour and U.S. Open match reports both described Djokovic as physically compromised late in the match. (atptour.com) The scoreline tells that story clearly. After Djokovic edged ahead by winning sets two and three, he managed only three games across the last two sets. Navone, who had arrived with a modest hard-court record by ATP Tour standards, kept the rallies heavy and extended points as Djokovic faded. ### What did Djokovic say was wrong physically? (usopen.org) Djokovic said after the match that the problem was not isolated to one night. “It was an awful feeling on the court for me,” he said, according to ATP Tour and U.S. Open reports. He said he had been dealing with “vomiting, throwing up,” and that his body would begin to “collapse,” bringing cramping and pain. (atptour.com) U.S. Open coverage said Djokovic was trying to determine “what’s going on and how far I can go this way.” Neither the ATP Tour nor the tournament report identified a formal diagnosis in the immediate aftermath, but both made clear that Djokovic linked the defeat to a broader physical issue he said had affected him repeatedly this year. (atptour.com) ### Who is Mariano Navone in this draw? Navone is a 25-year-old Argentine who was ranked No. 49 when he faced Djokovic, and the win was described by ATP Tour coverage as a childhood “dream come true.” He had previously been known more for his clay-court work than for results on hard courts, which added to the scale of the upset. (usopen.org) ATP Tour statistics noted that Navone entered New York with a 12-29 tour-level hard-court record and a 4-8 mark on the surface in 2026. Against that background, beating Djokovic on Ashe in five sets was the biggest win of his career by ranking and stage. ### Why did this change the men’s draw so quickly? Jannik Sinner had already withdrawn from the tournament on August 21 with a right knee injury, removing the world No. 1 before the main draw began. (atptour.com) U.S. Open and ATP Tour reports said Sinner planned to remain in Europe to continue recovery with the aim of returning for the Asian swing. (atptour.com) Djokovic’s exit then removed another of the event’s central contenders on opening night. The immediate next step is Navone’s second-round match in New York, while the broader tournament continues this week with Carlos Alcaraz back in the field after his own injury layoff and the men’s draw already missing both Sinner and Djokovic. (atptour.com 1) (atptour.com 2)