Mariano Navone defeated Novak Djokovic in the first round of the US Open on Sunday, August 30, 2026, winning 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Argentine recovered from losing the second and third sets, then took control as Djokovic's physical condition deteriorated during the four-hour, 36-minute match. [1]
The upset ended Djokovic's campaign immediately and sent Navone into the second round. It was Djokovic's first opening-round defeat in 20 US Open appearances and his first opening-round loss at a Grand Slam since 2006, according to the tournament's account. Djokovic, the fourth seed and a four-time US Open champion, said afterward that nausea, vomiting, cramping, back pain and shoulder trouble had limited him. [1]
Key points
- Navone won the five-set match 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. [1]
- The match lasted four hours and 36 minutes, Djokovic's longest first-round match at a major. [1]
- Djokovic said he had been dealing with vomiting and a physical collapse during matches in 2026, but the tournament report did not establish a medical diagnosis. [1]
- Djokovic made 70 unforced errors, while Navone converted six of 17 break-point chances. [1]
- The result was Djokovic's first US Open first-round exit and his first opening-round Grand Slam loss since 2006. [1]
What happened
Navone started strongly despite falling behind 1-3. He created three break points, recovered serve and forced a tiebreak. Djokovic made 17 unforced errors in the opening set, including a forehand miss on set point, and Navone took the tiebreak 7-5. A roof-closing delay of almost 10 minutes interrupted that set, but it did not prevent Navone from completing the comeback. [1]
Djokovic answered by winning the second set 7-5. The only service break came at 6-5, when Djokovic moved ahead before serving out the set. In the third, he broke Navone at 5-4 and finished the set 6-4, briefly restoring the match's expected direction. The tournament report described the effort as workmanlike rather than the level of control usually associated with Djokovic. [1]
The turning point arrived in the fourth set. Navone broke Djokovic twice in his first three service games and won the set 6-2. Djokovic took a medical timeout before the deciding set. He then struggled to respond as Navone won the fifth 6-1, using his defensive range and sustained pressure to close the biggest victory of his career. [1]
Verified background and context
The result carried unusual weight because of Djokovic's record at the tournament. The 2026 appearance was his 20th US Open, and the loss was his first opening-round defeat there. The tournament also described it as only the third first-round Grand Slam loss of his career, after opening-round exits at the Australian Open in 2005 and 2006. [1]
Djokovic entered as the fourth seed, a four-time US Open champion and the holder of 24 Grand Slam singles titles. His attempt to reach 25 and move beyond Margaret Court's record was therefore ended at the first hurdle; the tournament said that record would remain safe for at least another year. [1]
Navone was ranked No. 49 and was characterized by the US Open as a 25-year-old clay-court specialist with one ATP title and two previous US Open wins. The profile explains why the result was considered a major upset, but it does not erase the quality of his performance on the hard court: he kept the ball in play, defended effectively and exploited Djokovic's errors when the match became physical. [1]
Why it matters
For Navone, the victory changes the scale of his tournament and career narrative. He did not merely survive a close match; he recovered from a two-set deficit against a 24-time major champion and won the last two sets decisively. Navone called the victory a dream come true, a reaction that reflects the occasion rather than a claim about his future results. [1]
For Djokovic, the outcome raises a question about his immediate competitive condition without resolving his career plans. The tournament linked the defeat to an earlier Cincinnati loss to Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante and noted that Djokovic had played little recently outside the Grand Slams. Those facts provide context for the performance, but they do not prove that age, scheduling or a specific injury caused the defeat. [1]
The match also changes the tournament draw. Djokovic's departure removes a former champion and a 24-time major winner from the field, while Navone advances to face either three-time major champion Stan Wawrinka or Italy's Matteo Berrettini. [1]
What remains uncertain
The source records Djokovic's symptoms and a medical timeout, but it does not identify a confirmed diagnosis, treatment plan or expected recovery timetable. Djokovic said he had experienced vomiting and a serious issue during matches that year, and described his body as collapsing, but those comments should be treated as his account of the episode, not an independently verified medical conclusion. [1]
It is also unknown whether this was Djokovic's last US Open appearance. The tournament explicitly left that question open. His wave to the crowd and departure from the court were observable moments, not evidence of a retirement decision. No retirement announcement is reported in the verified account. [1]
The 70 unforced errors and the six-of-17 break-point conversion figures describe this match only. They should not be read as a forecast of either player's season or as proof that Djokovic's level has permanently declined. The report itself presents several possible explanations, including physical symptoms and limited recent competition, without selecting one definitive cause. [1]
What happens next
Navone advances to the second round, with Wawrinka or Berrettini as the possible opponent. The tournament account says the match was scheduled two days after the upset, creating a practical test of whether Navone could recover physically and refocus after the largest win of his career. That is a competition context, not a prediction of the result. [1]
Djokovic's US Open is over, and the next verified information needed to assess his outlook would be his own medical update, any tournament or team statement, and his decision about upcoming events. Until those arrive, the defensible conclusion is narrower: Navone produced a historic first-round upset, while Djokovic's physical problems materially shaped the closing sets and left his future at Flushing Meadows unresolved. [1]
