Novak Djokovic has exited in the first round of a Grand Slam for the first time in over two decades, losing to Mariano Navone with a score of 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday. This defeat marks Djokovic's earliest Grand Slam exit since 2006 and ends a streak of 78 first-round victories at Grand Slam tournaments.
Djokovic, 39, appeared to experience significant discomfort during the match, which lasted over four and a half hours. He congratulated Navone, stating, "I don't want to take too much out of his win. Congrats to him. He's a nice guy, a fighter." Navone, ranked 48th, expressed his excitement about defeating his childhood idol, saying, "It was a tough match, a battle. Playing against Novak the first time in the biggest stage we have in the world of tennis right now… I mean, it's crazy."
Throughout the match, Djokovic showed signs of physical distress, reportedly vomiting into a courtside bucket and experiencing severe pain. He described his experience at the US Open as one he "despised," stating, "I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. 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?"
Djokovic had previously indicated that he struggles with a health issue that affects him in hot, humid conditions, a problem he has faced for many years. Despite this, he reached the final of the Australian Open in January and the semifinals of Wimbledon in June. Following his exit in New York, he acknowledged that he is currently not physically capable of advancing deep into tournaments. He expressed uncertainty about whether his health issue can be resolved, stating, "Can the issue be fixed? I don't know. I'm trying, man. I'm trying. Let's see."