Novak Djokovic’s hopes of climbing back to the top of the tennis world were erased late Sunday night when he suffered a stunning first-round exit at the hands of Argentina’s Mariano Navone.
Djokovic dealt with physical issues throughout the match and swiftly dropped the final two sets after taking two of the first three.
The loss marked Djokovic’s earliest Grand Slam exit since 2006, as he hadn’t lost in the first round of a Grand Slam event since he was just 18.
Here’s more to know about Djokovic’s loss and how it compares to his worst Grand Slam defeats.
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Novak Djokovic’s worst Grand Slam losses
2014 Australian Open, quarterfinals
There isn’t much shame in losing in the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam, but Djokovic’s loss to Stan Wawrinka in the 2014 Australian Open quarterfinals is the only blemish on what could have been a streak of six consecutive titles for the tennis great. Djokovic won the Australian Open in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2016 and entered the match with Wawrinka on a 25-match winning streak before bowing out of the tournament.
2016 Wimbledon, third round
Djokovic suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit in seven years when he lost to Sam Querrey in the third round at Wimbledon in 2016.
After winning the tournament in 2015, Djokovic won only one set against Querrey, dropping tiebreakers in the first and fourth sets to fall short of even forcing a decisive fifth set. Querrey would go on to reach the quarterfinals, his best Grand Slam finish until he reached the semifinals a year later.
2017 Australian Open, second round
After back-to-back Australian Open wins and five Grand Slam wins between 2015 and 2016, Djokovic opened 2017 with a stunning second-round defeat at the hands of Uzbekistan’s Denis Istomin.
Djokovic dropped tiebreakers in the first and fourth sets before Istomin took the decisive fifth set 6-4 to knock the reigning champion out of the tournament. Istomin would be eliminated in the fourth round.
2019 US Open, fourth round
Djokovic entered the 2019 US Open as the reigning champion and the winner of four of the last five Grand Slams on the calendar, but he dropped the first two sets against Stan Wawrinka in the fourth round before retiring in the middle of the third set due to a shoulder injury.
The exit marked Djokovic’s earliest US Open exit since 2006 and cleared the way for Rafael Nadal to win the event for the fourth time.
2026 US Open, first round
Djokovic dealt with all kinds of physical issues in a five-set loss to Navone on Sunday night, marking his earliest Grand Slam exit since he was just 18 years old at the 2006 Australian Open. Djokovic won two of the first three sets before unraveling in the last two as his body struggled to keep up.
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How did Novak Djokovic lose to Mariano Navone?
Navone defeated Djokovic 7-6, 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 to Navone in a match that spanned well over four hours on Sunday night, dealing a knockout blow to a generational player.
Djokovic dropped the first set on a tiebreaker but was able to hold his own and take both the second and third sets. At that point, physical issues started to pile up. Djokovic was seen vomiting and cramping, and his shoulder was heavily taped. Back issues also plagued Djokovic, and he was seen using an inhaler at one point.
Novak Djokovic in tears as the realization dawns upon him that Father Time has finally caught up pic.twitter.com/5uOfg2Em30
— Bastien Fachan (@BastienFachan) August 31, 2026
Navone took advantage of Djokovic’s weakened serves and closed out the former champion with dominant fourth and fifth sets.
Was Novak Djokovic actually sick during loss?
Djokovic became ill during the match, but he attributed his physical issues to a number of problems.
“It was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me,” Djokovic told reporters after the loss. “It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year: vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain. Yeah, the back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.”
Djokovic’s right shoulder was heavily taped, and he was seen using an inhaler at one point. After dealing with cramping issues, a bad back took away Djokovic’s serve and appeared to be the final straw for his chances of surviving.
Who is Mariano Navone?
The 25-year-old Navone ranks No. 49 in the world and has only advanced to the third round in a Grand Slam early in his career.
Navone is 57-67 overall in his singles career and won his first title earlier this year at the 2026 Tiriac Open. In Grand Slams, he is still working toward his first deep run. Navone reached the third round of the French Open in 2025, but he hasn’t been back since and tied a career-best mark by advancing past the first round at this US Open.
Navone will face former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini or former US Open champion Stan Wawrinka in the second round.
Novak Djokovic age
Djokovic is 39; he’s set to turn 40 next May.
The tennis legend hasn’t won a Grand Slam since the 2023 US Open, and he appears to be content with continuing his career while Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner dominate the sport. Still, a first-round exit is uncharted territory for Djokovic, who hadn’t suffered that fate since the very start of his career.
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