Djokovic Falls Early After a Battle Lasting More Than 4 Hours
Serbian star “Novak Djokovic” was eliminated from the US Open Tennis Championships, also known as the “Flushing Meadows”, the final Grand Slam tournament of the season, in the first round. It was a historic early exit and the first time in two full decades that he has been knocked out in the opening round of a Grand Slam.
” Djokovic”, a former world No. 1 and currently ranked No. 5, lost to Argentina’s “Mariano Navone”, ranked No. 49 in the world, in a marathon match that lasted 4 hours and 36 minutes. Navone prevailed 6-7 (5-7), 7-5, 6-4, 2-6, 1-6.
The 39-year-old Serbian star had not previously exited a Grand Slam in the first round since the 2006 Australian Open, when he lost to American “Paul Goldstein”. The defeat ended a historic streak of 78 consecutive victories in Grand Slam opening-round matches.
The loss was not merely an early setback in the tournament. It came amid clear physical struggles for “Djokovic” throughout the match, as he suffered repeated bouts of vomiting, muscle cramps, and pain that directly affected his ability to compete at his usual level.
After the match, “Djokovic” said he experienced a “terrible feeling” on court, explaining that the vomiting problem had become recurrent in most of his matches this year before his physical condition deteriorated further and cramps and pain began affecting various parts of his body.
He added that his back and shoulder let him down during the final stages of the match, preventing him from finishing the contest in his favor.
Strong Start and Sudden Physical Collapse
“Djokovic” appeared to be heading toward a perfect start after taking a 4-1 lead in the opening set. However, signs of fatigue soon became apparent, as he repeatedly used ice on his face after only a few games.
Despite taking some medication on the recommendation of the medical team, the Serbian player vomited several times before losing the first set in a tiebreak after one of his forehands hit the net.
“Djokovic” fought back in the second set, capitalizing on Navone’s dropped service game to turn the momentum around and level the match at one set apiece.
The same scenario unfolded in the third set, when the Serbian managed to break his opponent’s serve at a crucial moment, allowing him to take control of the match and move ahead by two sets to one.
However, the heavy physical effort began to take its toll on “Djokovic” in the fourth set. After taking an early 2-1 lead, he suffered severe muscle cramps before his level dropped significantly and he lost eight consecutive games, giving Navone the opportunity to come back and force a decisive fifth set.
In the final set, Djokovic was unable to regain his physical balance, allowing the Argentine to close out the match and claim one of the biggest victories of his career.
Navone Celebrates the Biggest Victory of His Career
With this early exit, “Djokovic”‘s chances of continuing his pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title and further extending his historic record for the most Grand Slam championships were significantly reduced.
The Serbian had won the Flushing Meadows title four times, in 2011, 2015, 2018, and 2023. However, he had not been at his best in his only warm-up match before the tournament, when he lost in the first round of Cincinnati two weeks earlier amid extremely hot conditions.
Meanwhile, 25-year-old Navone experienced one of the most important moments of his career after securing his first victory over his idol, in their first-ever meeting.
“It’s unbelievable, it’s a dream come true,” the Argentine player said after the victory, expressing his delight at the win secured on the famous Flushing Meadows courts.
“Navone” sealed his qualification shortly before midnight after a lengthy 4-hour-and-36-minute battle, joking that he needed to recover and go to sleep as midnight approached.
As for “Djokovic”, who had never lost in the first round of the Flushing Meadows tournament in his previous 19 appearances, he found himself facing an early and unfamiliar ending to his run this time. It was a night in which physical struggles overshadowed his vast experience and handed his Argentine opponent one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
United News Network – UNN Arabic
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Author: Counselor Faisal Al-Mutairi.
Publication Date: August 31, 2026.
Updated: August 2026.
