Djokovic falls in the US Open first round for the first time in his career
Argentina's Mariano Navone outlasted a struggling Novak Djokovic in five sets on opening night in New York — the 39-year-old's earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades.
For the first time in his career, Novak Djokovic is out of the US Open in the first round. Mariano Navone, a 25-year-old Argentine who won his first ATP title earlier this year, beat the No. 4 seed 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a match that stretched 4 hours, 36 minutes into Sunday night, as reported by the AP.
Why it matters
Djokovic, 39, had never before failed to reach the second round in New York, and per the AP this is his earliest exit at any Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open — twenty years ago. The physical toll was visible: he dealt with cramping, back and shoulder trouble, required treatment before the fifth set, and finished with 70 unforced errors as Navone ran away with the last two sets.
"I didn't enjoy myself. I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me," Djokovic said afterward.
For Navone, it is the win of a lifetime. "For sure it's the best thing I had on court," he said.
A tournament suddenly wide open
The upset lands in a draw already missing its top name: world No. 1 Jannik Sinner withdrew on August 21 with a right knee injury, per the tournament. That leaves No. 2 seed Carlos Alcaraz as the heavy favorite, and he opened cleanly on Monday, beating Roman Safiullin 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 in his first match back from the wrist injury that had sidelined him since April, according to the AP.
On the women's side, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka began her bid for a third straight title with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Camila Osorio. "I feel like this is one of my favorite stadiums," she told the New York crowd — one that, for one night at least, had eyes only for the exit nobody saw coming.