NEW YORK — Twenty-one years have passed since Novak Djokovic’s very first appearance at the US Open. To mark the occasion: four and a half hours of suffering and an elimination that hurts — his body has sent him the bill.
At 39, the Serb fought but could not hold on. His batteries ran out and he lost in the first round of a Grand Slam for the first time since the 2006 Australian Open.
He was on the verge of tears when his defeat was all but certain and the clock showed the match had passed the four-and-a-half-hour mark. Djokovic suffered lower back pain, leg cramps and falls. He vomited multiple times at the side of the court.
He had a terrible time. After congratulating his opponent, Argentine Mariano Navone, and signing autographs for fans, Djokovic walked through the tunnel towards the locker room emotionally shattered.
The suffocating New York air, heavy with humidity, combined with a motivated opponent. It all added up to one of the hardest nights of the Serb’s career. The longest first-round match he has ever had to play at a Grand Slam ended with the score against him: 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2 and 6-1.
Emotional and in pain. Incredible to watch. Novak Djokovic fighting for 4.5 hours in a first-round. pic.twitter.com/dGErXffotm
— Clay (@_claymagazine) August 31, 2026
“It was obvious I was feeling very unwell on the court. It is something I have been carrying, unfortunately, in practically every match this year: vomiting, nausea — a serious problem. Then my whole body starts to collapse — basically cramps and pain. My back just gave way at the end, and my shoulder too…” Djokovic said just outside the locker room to a handful of reporters.
The Serb acknowledged his opponent’s fighting spirit and congratulated him: “I do not want to take anything away from his victory. Congratulations to him. He is a good guy, a fighter. But, well, I did not enjoy it.”
Navone celebrated with respect, having witnessed the ordeal of his childhood idol. The build-up to the match had an amusing subplot when social media surfaced old tweets from the Argentine’s account supporting Djokovic, in which he called him “emperor” and “crack.” Another notable one: “Djokovic I love you even though you’re a male.”
In Cincinnati, Djokovic had already raised concern after showing clear signs of discomfort on the court. Later, at a press conference, he would reveal his health problems related to his stomach.
“I have been dealing with a health condition for many years. It causes me a lot of problems, especially when there is high humidity and heat,” he told reporters in Ohio.
Djokovic’s 20th US Open — a tournament he has won four times — was his most gruelling of all. Will he return to New York?
