Assuming you mean Novak Djokovic vs Mariano Navone at the 2026 US Open: Navone won 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in 4h36m. It was Djokovic’s first first-round Grand Slam loss since 2006.
What actually decided the match
The key point is that this was not simply Djokovic getting tactically outplayed. For roughly three sets, he found a way to compete despite looking physically uncomfortable. After losing the first set, he adjusted, became more aggressive when opportunities appeared, and turned the match around to lead 2 sets to 1.
The crucial moment was the fourth set. Djokovic had reached a position from which we have seen him escape hundreds of times, but his body stopped allowing him to play the patterns he needed. He later said he had been dealing with vomiting, cramping, back pain and shoulder problems, describing a feeling of his body essentially collapsing.
Navone deserves considerable credit, though. He didn’t panic when Djokovic took control. Instead of trying to hit through Djokovic recklessly, he kept making him play, extended rallies and forced Djokovic to repeatedly generate his own pace. Once Djokovic’s movement deteriorated, that became exactly the right strategy.
One statistic captures the problem: Djokovic finished with 70 unforced errors, while Navone converted 6 of 17 break points.
The worrying part for Djokovic
For me, the biggest concern isn’t the loss itself. It’s that this appears to be a recurring physical problem rather than an isolated bad night.
Djokovic said afterward that the vomiting/physical-collapse issue has affected him in matches throughout the year. He had also struggled physically in Cincinnati shortly before the US Open.
At 39, his reduced schedule makes sense because he is prioritising the Slams. But there’s now a difficult trade-off:
Less tennis → fresher body, but less match conditioning.
More tennis → better conditioning, but greater physical wear.
And five-set Grand Slam tennis exposes that problem brutally.
What I wouldn’t conclude yet
I wouldn’t interpret this as “Djokovic can no longer play elite tennis.” There were stretches in sets two and three where his level was still good enough to take control.
The bigger question is whether he can sustain that level for four or five hours, particularly in difficult heat/humidity. That’s very different from asking whether his tennis ability is still there.
And Djokovic himself didn’t announce retirement afterward. His immediate focus was trying to solve the health issue.
Bottom line: Navone earned the biggest win of his career by staying disciplined and making Djokovic work, but the match was ultimately transformed by Djokovic’s physical deterioration. The alarming development isn’t that Djokovic lost to No. 49 Navone; it’s that his body prevented him from finishing a match he had managed to turn around despite feeling terrible.
If the health issue can be resolved, I still wouldn’t write him off at the 2027 Slams. If it can’t, this match may prove more significant than an ordinary first-round upset.
