Novak Djokovic opens up on physical struggles after shock US Open exit
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Djokovic lost to Mariano Navone in the first round
Serbia tennis legend Novak Djokovic has admitted he is unsure how much longer he can keep competing at the top level after a brutal five-set defeat to Argentinaās Mariano Navone ended his ongoing US Open campaign in the opening round.
The 39-year-old Serb, who has spent 428 weeks as the World No. 1 across his career, more than any player in tennis history, was chasing a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title at Flushing Meadows.
Instead, he walked away from Arthur Ashe Stadium having suffered only his third opening-round loss at a major and his first in 20 years since the 2006 Australian Open.
Related: Novak Djokovicās 20-year streak snapped after first-round US Open defeat
Djokovic looked in serious discomfort for large parts of the match. He was seen vomiting courtside during the third set and later needed treatment for his back and shoulder. Despite the visible distress, he still managed to win a couple of sets against the World No. 49 before his body finally gave up in the decider.
Speaking after the match, Djokovic did not hold back on the extent of what he went through on court [via Olly Tennis]
āThe vomiting, the gagging, itās a serious problem. Then my whole body started to give way, with cramps and pain. In the end, my back and shoulder also gave out, and I couldnāt finish the match. I was a break (of serve) up in the fourth set, but I had already been struggling a lot from the fourth game onwards.ā
Related: Long-standing āBig Threeā record ends after Novak Djokovicās first-round exit at 2026 US Open
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Despite the pain, Djokovic was gracious in defeat, praising his young opponent for capitalising on the moment.
āI donāt want to take anything away from his victory. Congratulations to him. Heās a good guy and a fighter. But I didnāt have fun out there.ā
What stood out most, though, was Djokovicās uncertainty about his own future. For a player who has built his career on relentless physical endurance, the tone was noticeably different this time.
Related: Novak Djokovicās 20-year streak snapped after first-round US Open defeat
āI donāt know [how I can solve it]. At the moment, I donāt want to go into too much detail. Iām just trying to understand whatās going on and how much longer I can keep going like this.ā
The defeat caps a difficult 2026 for Djokovic, which included a runner-up finish to Carlos Alcaraz of Spain at the Australian Open, a shock third-round exit to Brazilās Joao Fonseca at the French Open, and a semi-final loss to Jannik Sinner of Italy at Wimbledon following a marathon five-hour quarter-final victory.
What did Novak Djokovic say about his future after the match?
Djokovic admitted uncertainty about how much longer he can keep competing, saying he is ājust trying to understand whatās going on and how much longer I can keep going like this,ā without going into further detail on a solution.
When was the last time Novak Djokovic lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam before this?
Before this defeat, Djokovic had not lost an opening round match at a major in 20 years, with his last such loss coming at the 2006 Australian Open. His only other first-round exit at a Slam was in 2005.
Which was the last Grand Slam Novak Djokovic won?
Djokovic last won a Grand Slam title in 2023, the US Open, beating Daniil Medvedev of Russia in the final (6ā3, 7ā6 [7ā5], 6ā3).
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