Mariano Navone knocks Novak Djokovic out of US Open in four-hour first-round match
Mariano Navone defeated Novak Djokovic 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in the first round of the US Open in New York, ending the 24-time Grand Slam champion's 78-match opening-round winning streak.
Five-set defeat at Flushing Meadows
Novak Djokovic exited the US Open in the opening round on Sunday night, losing 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 to Argentina's Mariano Navone. The match lasted four hours and 36 minutes, concluding minutes before midnight on the main showcourt in New York. The 39-year-old Serb entered the tournament pursuing a 25th Grand Slam singles title, coming off an opening-round loss to Thiago Agustin Tirante in Cincinnati two weeks earlier. Djokovic initially established 3-0 and 4-1 leads in the first set before rain interrupted play, prompting officials to close the stadium roof. Navone, ranked 48th in the world, leveled the score at 4-4 and claimed the ensuing tiebreak.
- Navone wins 7-6 in a tiebreak after a rain delay forces the roof to close.
- Djokovic levels the match with a 7-5 set victory.
- Djokovic breaks for a 5-4 lead after vomiting courtside and takes the set 6-4.
- Navone wins 6-2 as Djokovic experiences back pain, cramps, and receives treatment.
- Navone closes out the decider 6-1 in four hours and 36 minutes near midnight.
Physical collapse and mid-match distress
Djokovic responded by grinding out the second and third sets, despite mounting physical problems under the humid conditions. During the third set, the Serbian player vomited into a courtside bin before breaking Navone to lead 5-4 and serving out the set. However, his mobility and serve deteriorated sharply in the fourth set, where he committed several of his 70 total unforced errors. He requested a medical timeout between the fourth and fifth sets, receiving pills from a tournament doctor and physical therapy on his lower back. After awkwardly dropping his racket and struggling with cramps in his left leg, Djokovic managed only one game in the final set, in tears before the final point.
Djokovic reflected on his physical condition during his post-match press conference:
I think it was obvious that I felt very bad on court. Unfortunately it is something that I have experienced in every match this year: vomiting is a serious thing. My body started giving up with cramps and pain. At the end of the match, my back and shoulder abandoned me and I could not finish.
Career milestone for Navone
For the 25-year-old Navone, who won his first career ATP singles title earlier in the season, the result marks his first career five-set match victory. The Argentine maintained baseline consistency across the final two sets as Djokovic struggled to move and serve. Navone spoke on court immediately following the victory:
Five sets, against the GOAT, it's not something you do every day. I'm very happy. It means a lot to me. It's a dream come true. Now I have to recover. It's almost 12 a.m. We have to go to sleep.
End of a two-decade Grand Slam streak
The defeat ended Djokovic's 78-match winning streak in the first round of Grand Slam tournaments, which began after his loss against Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open. It also marked his first career opening-round loss in 20 appearances at Flushing Meadows, occurring 21 years to the day after his US Open debut. The outcome eliminates one of the top seeds in the early stages in New York. Navone advances to the second round, while Djokovic stated he must assess his condition and determine how far he can continue competing under these physical constraints.
