Novak Djokovic Reveals What Went Wrong in First-Round US Open Upset

The loss wasn’t just early; it was physically brutal for Djokovic, which is something he hadn’t experienced at a major in nearly two decades. For a player who has built his career on outlasting opponents over five sets, Sunday night flipped that script entirely. This leaves plenty of questions about how much he has left in the tank at 39.

A Historic Upset

On Sunday, August 30th, the 2026 US Open kicked off with a surprising upset. Novak Djokovic lost to Argentina's Mariano Navone 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a first-round marathon that lasted 4 hours and 36 minutes, the longest opening match of his Grand Slam career. However, this result was historic in more ways than one.

Djokovic hadn’t lost in the first round of a major since the 2006 Australian Open, and at the US Open specifically, he had never lost before the third round. Sunday’s loss snapped a streak of 78 consecutive first-round wins at Grand Slams, the longest run in the Open era for either men or women.

It also guarantees Djokovic’s pursuit of a record 25th major title stretches into at least 2027.

Taking A Physical Toll

For Djokovic, the match unraveled physically as much as it did on the scoreboard. The legend vomited courtside multiple times, appeared to cramp late in the match, took pills brought out by a doctor, and had his lower back massaged during a medical timeout between the fourth and fifth sets.

Meanwhile, Navone, who was appearing in just his second US Open, won 11 of the final 12 games to close it out. You can watch the full match highlights below.

Djokovic Explains What Went Wrong

Djokovic skipped his usual formal news conference, instead speaking to a small group of reporters outside the locker room after the match. During the questioning, he didn’t sugarcoat his feelings on the night.

“I didn’t enjoy myself,” Djokovic said. “I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me.”

He echoed that sentiment when asked to reflect on the match as a whole, pointing to his physical condition as the deciding factor. “Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain,” said Djokovic. “The back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.”

Even with the historic nature of the loss, Djokovic downplayed the significance of the broken streak, focusing instead on managing his body going forward. “It’s a good record, another one. But, yeah, I’m not really thinking about it,” he said. “Now [it] is fresh off the court and [I am] still trying to manage my body."

A Moment With the Crowd

Despite the result, Djokovic was still reminded of where he stands with the fans. Trailing 1-3 in the deciding set, the Arthur Ashe crowd rallied behind him in a bid to spark a comeback that never came.

Djokovic appeared visibly emotional in the moment, later saying he was moved by the reaction. “They were super nice. So grateful to experience this,” he said.

What’s Next for Djokovic

The loss will drop Djokovic out of the ATP’s top 10 for the first time in years, and it extends his Grand Slam title drought to 12 consecutive majors without a trophy. This ties the longest such stretch of his career, a run that previously spanned from 2005 to 2007 near the start of his rise to stardom.

At 39, his body is clearly a growing factor in how much tennis he has left to play, and Sunday’s loss adds real weight to questions regarding how much longer he intends to chase major title No. 25.

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