Novak Djokovic was eliminated in the first round of the US Open after a grueling five-set defeat to Mariano Navone. The fourth seed fell 6-7, 7-5, 6-4, 2-6, 1-6 in a match that lasted over four hours, ending his pursuit of a record-breaking 25th Grand Slam title in New York.
Throughout the match, the 39-year-old struggled with severe physical issues, including heat exhaustion and illness, which led him to vomit on court during the third set. Despite these challenges, Djokovic briefly rallied to lead the match before Navone regained control, leaving the Serbian visibly emotional and in tears during the final set.
This loss marks a historic end to Djokovic’s streak of 78 consecutive opening-round victories at major tournaments, a run dating back to 2006. The defeat concludes his campaign at Flushing Meadows, where he had also been aiming to surpass Jimmy Connors’ record of 98 US Open match wins.
