Novak Djokovic cries and vomits during US Open match as he is set to slump down ATP Rankings after dramatic exit
There were emotional scenes on Arthur Ashe Stadium as the great Novak Djokovic shed tears midway during his defeat to Mariano Navone in the first round.
Everything was pointing towards a win for the 24-time Grand Slam winner early on as, after dropping the opening set, he won the next two and also had a break early in the fourth set.
But the match turned on its head as Djokovic won only one more game for the rest of the match as Navanno took the fourth set 6-2 and the fifth 6-1 to secure a 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 win in four hours and 36 minutes.
It means the wait for a 25th major title continues as Djokovic suffered his first-ever round of 128 exit from the US Open while it was his first defeat in the first round of a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open.
The 39-year-old struggled with “health issues” during his second-round defeat at the Cincinnati Open and those problems were once again visible on Arthur Ashe.
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“It’s just a condition that I have, health-wise, that has been bothering me for the past couple of years. A lot of issues, especially when it is humid and it is hot,” Djokovic said after the Cincinnati event.
“I did anticipate it, but there are all these things, like nerves and everything involved that make it worse, and that’s what happened.”
He vomited several times during the match and also required treatment on a lower back problem. The Serbian could barely move at times during the fourth and fifth sets as he started cramping.
And it took its toll as Djokovic became emotional while trailing Navano 1-3 in the fifth set as he started crying and three games later he bowed out of the 2026 US Open.
The big question now is whether or not the tennis great has played his final match in New York as Father Time waits for no one.
The Serbian received a standing ovation from the crowd on Arthur Ashe when leaving the stadium and he even took time out to sign autographs.
And if you are looking for more tough-to-swallow statistics, it is the first time since 2003 that none of the Big Three – Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal – will feature in the second round for a Grand Slam.
23 years.
ATP Rankings Hit
Djokovic started the tournament at No 5 in the rankings, but he was defending 800 points from his run to the semi-final last year.
With a first-round appearance worth only 10 points, he is -790 in terms of points and has slumped six places to No 11, slumping out of the top 10 for the first time in eight years.
