At the start of the year Djokovic lost the Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz before going down against Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-final and now he has exited the US Open from the first round
Published: August 31, 2026, 10:38 AM IST
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File photo of Novak Djokovic(Credits: IANS)
In a dramatic turn of events, 24-time Grand Slam winner Novak Djokovic shockingly bowed out of the very first round of the US Open 2026 after a tough battle against Argentina’s Mariano Navone, who surprised the entire crowd at the Arthur Ashe Stadium with a 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1, five-set victory.
The match lasted for about four hours and 36 minutes and it well and truly tested Novak Djokovic, who looked far from his best todayHe battled through physical pain but what was more sad to see was the way he operated against a younger opponent, who forced errors after errors against the Serbian.
Novak Djokovic looks very emotional down 1-3 in the 5th set against Navone at the US Open
Definitely in pain physically, but these also look like emotional tears
4+ hours at 39 years old.
The New York crowd is trying to give him a push for another heroic comeback
— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) August 31, 2026
As a matter of fact, it was the first time that people actually witnessed Novak Djokovic breaking down on the court midway through the game despite the crowd cheering his name even after a poor showingThe Serbian looked absolutely clueless in the four+ hour showdown which crashed his hopes of landing a fifth US Open title and first since 2023Djokovic’s previous three titles came in 2011, 2015 and 2018.
The battle between the Serbian legend and the Argentina youngster ended up being the longest opening match of the tournament with Djokovic suffering a first round exit from the US Open for the very first time in his career.
It was tough to see Djokovic making 70 unforced errors as his time on the court was marred with sickness and crampsHe took an early lead of 3-0 and 4-1 but went on to blow it all and lose the first set.
The 39-year-old has had a tough few monthsAt the start of the year Djokovic lost the Australian Open final to Carlos Alcaraz before going down against Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finalThen, during the hardcourt tune-up at the Cincinnati Open, Djokovic exited from the first round itself.
Following the loss to his Argentinian opponent, Djokovic looked absolutely gutted with his wife, Jelena, watching over him from the stands with a worrying faceThe defeat was indeed a tough pill to swallow for the Serbian and his fans but credits must be given to Mariano Navone, who once idolized the world number five.
Navone was over the moon after his maiden victory over the veteranHe expressed that it was a huge moment for him to be able to defeat the “GOAT” and admitted that it was nothing less than a dream come true.
“It was very tough for me because you are playing with the ‘GOAT’ on this courtFor sure it’s the best thing I’ve had on courtThis is an amazing court and the biggest stageIt’s amazing, the way we playI mean, five setsI’m very happyI don’t knowWhat can I say?It’s unbelievableThis means a lotIt’s a dream come true,” Mariano Navone said after his victory.
Other major results:
Polina Iatcenko bt Renata Zarazua 4-6, 6-4, 7-6(7); Donna Vekic bt Talia Gibson 6-2, 4-6, 6-3; Lanlana Tararudee bt Elvina Kalieva 6-3, 6-7 (4); Lucrezia Stefanini bt Dayana Yastremska 6-3, 4-6, 6-1; Wang Xinyu bt Emiliana Arango 6-4, 6-2; Katie Boulter bt Carol Young Suh Lee 6-4, 3-6, 6-0; Taylah Preston bt Alycia Parks 6-36-3
