Djokovic breaks down in tears during US Open first-round exit
Novak Djokovic was knocked out in the first round of the US Open by Argentina's Mariano Navone, breaking down in tears during a physically gruelling defeat that fuelled further concern about the 39-year-old's ability to compete at the top level. The 24-time Grand Slam champion vomited into a towel bin and looked visibly unwell throughout, yet still fought back from two sets down before ultimately losing, marking his first-ever opening-round exit at Flushing Meadows and his first first-round Grand Slam loss since 2006.
Djokovic, the fourth seed, lost 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 4-6 6-2 6-1 to the world number 49, having earlier led 2-0 in the opening set before wilting in humid conditions. He called for a doctor and appeared to be suffering from the same issue that forced an early exit at the Cincinnati Open a fortnight earlier, where he cited a long-standing "health condition" aggravated by heat. Despite showing flashes of his old fighting spirit to level the match at two sets apiece, he faded badly in the decider. The defeat ends his bid for a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam singles title and further dents his chances of overtaking Margaret Court's all-time record.
- Djokovic suffers shock first-round US Open exit to Mariano Navone
- Struggled physically, vomited, and broke down in tears
- First-ever opening-round loss at Flushing Meadows, first Slam since 2006
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Djokovic is a 39-year-old Serbian tennis player widely regarded as one of the greatest of all time, having won 24 Grand Slam singles titles. He has been chasing a record 25th major, which would move him closer to Margaret Court's all-time record, but has shown signs of fading physically in recent months as he competes against a younger generation of rivals.
The US Open is one of tennis's four Grand Slam tournaments, held annually in New York, and a first-round exit for a player of Djokovic's stature is highly unusual. His opponent, Mariano Navone, is a much lower-ranked Argentine player, and Djokovic had also struggled with an apparent health issue at the Cincinnati Open shortly before this tournament.
The result matters because it raises fresh questions about how much longer Djokovic can continue competing at the highest level, and it affects the wider landscape of men's tennis, where younger stars have increasingly challenged the dominance of veterans like him.