Djokovic cried at the end of the surprising loss: "My body just started to break down"
For the first time since 2006, the Serbian was eliminated in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament, losing in five sets to Mariano Navone at the US Open in a match where he physically collapsed: "I thought about retiring before the end, I had cramps and pain." The Argentine celebrated: "I played against the GOAT, the best feeling of my life."
The US Open received one of the biggest sensations imaginable right at the start. Novak Djokovic, the fourth seed in the tournament and owner of 24 Grand Slam titles, said goodbye to New York after just one match, losing 7:6 (5), 5:7, 4:6, 6:2, 6:1 to Argentine Mariano Navone (48th in the world). For Djokovic, this is a historic elimination. It is the first time in his career that he has lost in the opening match at Flushing Meadows, after arriving with a 19:0 record throughout his career in the first round in New York. Moreover, he was eliminated in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament for the first time since the Australian Open in 2006. This also ended an incredible streak of 78 victories in the opening matches of Grand Slam tournaments — the longest for a player in the Open Era.
Throughout the match, it was clear that Djokovic was struggling physically. He vomited during the contest, received medical treatment, needed medication, and later complained of cramps and pain. At the end, he even cried on the court.
"I think it was clear that it was a terrible feeling for me," Djokovic said after the match. "Unfortunately, I've been carrying this in almost every match this year. Vomiting, illness — I have a serious problem. Then my whole body just started to break down, with cramps and pain. My back said 'enough' at the end, and so did my shoulder."
The Serbian said that the physical problem did not appear only in the decisive stages. "I had problems from the fourth game of the match," he said, clarifying how far he was from his normal ability. Despite this, he refused to take too much credit away from Mariano's victory: "I don't want to take too much credit away from Mariano's win. I congratulate him. He is a good guy, a fighter. But I didn't enjoy it."
One of Djokovic's most significant statements came when he was asked if the thought of retiring crossed his mind during the match. The answer was unequivocal:
"Yes, I thought about it. I thought about it, but then I won two sets, I thought: 'Okay, maybe there's a chance.' I didn't want to retire in the fourth or fifth set, so I wanted to finish the match."
This is not the first time that Djokovic has dealt with questions surrounding his physical condition in recent times. Also at the Cincinnati tournament, shortly before the US Open, he was eliminated in the first round. Now, after two consecutive early exits in tournaments on hard courts, the questions surrounding the continuation of his career are gaining validity.
"I don't know what the solution to all this is," he said. "I'm trying, I really am trying. We'll see. I'm not going into the depth of things right now. I'm just trying to deal with what's happening and see how far I can go like this."
Djokovic finished the match with 70 unforced errors. On the other hand, Navone recorded the second victory of his career over a top-10 player, after having already beaten Felix Auger-Aliassime in Rome this year.
"It's unbelievable," Navone said after the victory. "It means a lot to me. It's a dream come true." The Argentine, who grew up as a fan of Djokovic, found it hard to hide his joy: "It's very difficult to play against the GOAT on this court. This is undoubtedly the best feeling I've ever had on the court. It's amazing."
