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Navone Upsets Djokovic in Five-Set First-Round Exit at US Open

Visible lumbar problems, including on-court vomiting, resulted in a faded finish that will cost Djokovic enough points to fall out of the ATP top 10.

Overview

  • Mariano Navone, ranked No. 49, defeated Novak Djokovic 7-6(7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a 4-hour-36-minute match on Monday at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
  • Djokovic sought medical attention for lumbar pain during the fifth set and showed visible illness on court, including episodes of vomiting, which left him largely immobile late in the match.
  • The loss ends Djokovic’s 20th US Open appearance after one match and marks his first Grand Slam first-round defeat since 2006.
  • Because Djokovic was defending 800 points from his 2025 US Open semifinal run, the early exit will drop him out of the ATP top 10.
  • For Navone the victory is the biggest of his career, it moves him into the tournament’s second round, and he will face the winner of the Matteo BerrettiniStan Wawrinka match next.