Mariano Navone eliminates Novak Djokovic in five sets in US Open first round

Five-set defeat on Arthur Ashe Stadium

Novak Djokovic suffered his first opening-round loss at the US Open on Sunday night, falling to world number 49 Mariano Navone in five sets. The 25-year-old Argentine prevailed 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a contest that lasted four hours and 36 minutes, finishing shortly before midnight. Djokovic, seeded fourth, had built early 3-0 and 4-1 leads in the first set before play was briefly paused to close the stadium roof due to rain. Navone leveled the set at 4-4, forced a tiebreak, and claimed the opener. Djokovic responded by winning the second and third sets, but physical ailments eroded his movement and serve in the final two sets.

Physical distress and courtside treatment

Djokovic struggled with nausea, vomiting, and severe cramping throughout the match, committing 70 unforced errors. During the third set, the 39-year-old vomited into a courtside bin before managing to break Navone's serve to secure a 2-1 lead in sets. As the fourth set unfolded, Djokovic landed awkwardly, dropped his racket, and grabbed at his left foot due to cramps. He received pills from a doctor and took a medical timeout between the fourth and fifth sets for lower back massage treatment. His serve deteriorated in the final set, and he was seen in tears in the closing minutes before Navone served out the victory.

It's something that I've been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year. You know, vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body, you know, 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, you know?

End of twenty-year tournament streak

The defeat ended Djokovic's streak of 78 consecutive first-round victories at Grand Slam tournaments, which began after his loss to Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open. Prior to Sunday, only two players had ever beaten Djokovic in the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament: Marat Safin in Melbourne in 2005 and Goldstein in 2006. The result also means that the second round of a Grand Slam tournament will feature none of the Big Three (Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer) for the first time since 2003. Navone, who won his first ATP singles title earlier in 2026, secured his first five-set win in his career while denying Djokovic his 43rd.

Uncertain future in Grand Slam pursuit

The loss leaves Djokovic with 24 Grand Slam singles titles, a record he shares with Australia's Margaret Court since winning the 2023 US Open. In 2026, Djokovic reached the Australian Open final, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz, and the Wimbledon semifinals, where he fell to Jannik Sinner after winning an extended quarterfinal against Felix Auger-Aliassime. He entered Flushing Meadows following an opening-round loss to Thiago Agustin Tirante in Cincinnati two weeks earlier. Following the match, Navone celebrated the achievement before looking ahead to his recovery for the second round.

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.