Novak Djokovic has suffered a stunning first-round defeat at the US Open, losing to Argentina’s Mariano Navone in a five-set thriller on Sunday night. The 39-year-old Serbian, seeded fourth, went down 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 after four hours and 36 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was Djokovic’s first-ever first-round defeat at the US Open and his earliest exit from a Grand Slam in two decades. Djokovic appeared to struggle physically throughout the match. He vomited during the contest, later showed signs of cramping and required medical attention, including medication and treatment to

Novak Djokovic has suffered a stunning first-round defeat at the US Open, losing to Argentina’s Mariano Navone in a five-set thriller on Sunday night. The 39-year-old Serbian, seeded fourth, went down 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 after four hours and 36 minutes at Arthur Ashe Stadium. It was Djokovic’s first-ever first-round defeat at the US Open and his earliest exit from a Grand Slam in two decades. Djokovic appeared to struggle physically throughout the match. He vomited during the contest, later showed signs of cramping and required medical attention, including medication and treatment to his lower back. He also made 70 unforced errors as his performance deteriorated in the final two sets. Despite taking a two-sets-to-one lead, Djokovic was unable to maintain his level as the younger Navone fought back strongly. The 25-year-old Argentine dominated the fourth and fifth sets, winning them 6-2 and 6-1 to secure the biggest victory of his career. Navone, who won his first ATP singles title earlier this year, said defeating Djokovic on the biggest stage was a dream come true. For Djokovic, the defeat raises fresh questions about his future in Grand Slam tennis. The 24-time major champion admitted that he has been dealing with recurring physical problems and said he needs to understand what is happening before deciding how far he can continue. The defeat came exactly 21 years after Djokovic made his US Open debut. It also extended a difficult period for the Serbian, who suffered another first-round loss in Cincinnati earlier this month. With Djokovic now out of the tournament, attention will turn to whether the legendary champion will return to the US Open again or whether this marked the beginning of the final chapter of his remarkable Grand Slam career.

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