Novak Djokovic, age 39, lost to unseeded Argentine Mariano Navone in a five-set first-round match at the 2026 U.S. Open on August 31, 2026. The loss ended Djokovic's 78-match streak of Grand Slam opening-round wins dating to 2006 and marked his third consecutive year without a major title.
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Novak Djokovic was knocked out in the first round of the US Open by Mariano Navone in a four-hour, 36-minute five-set battle. The 39-year-old struggled with physical issues, including cramps and back pain, while making 70 unforced errors. Djokovic also became emotional during the match, with tears highlighting the frustration of a painful defeat and uncertain Grand Slam future.
Novak Djokovic's pursuit of a 25th Grand Slam ends in a five-set defeat to unseeded Argentinian player Mariano Navone.
Novak Djokovic’s first-round US Open defeat to Mariano Navone ended his streak of 78 consecutive opening-round Grand Slam wins, his first such loss since the 2006 Australian Open. The four-hour, 36-minute battle was also his longest first-round major match. Despite the defeat, Djokovic made his 20th US Open appearance, joining Connors, Agassi and Lopez in an elite group.
The 39-year-old vomited numerous times during the defeat to Argentina’s Mariano Navone
Djokovic was 19-0 in the U.S. Open first round and hadn't lost his opening match in any major since the 2006 Australian Open.
The 25-year-old had to take his hero ‘off the poster’ to beat him in five sets, becoming the fifth Argentine to beat the 24-time Grand Slam champion La entrada US Open 2026: Mariano Navone makes history, ousts Djokovic in first round se publicó primero en Buenos Aires Herald .
Questions abound for Novak Djokovic after US Open loss and 3 years without a Grand Slam title AP News
There are plenty of questions surrounding Novak Djokovic's future after his first-round loss at the U.S. Open.