NEW YORK
Novak Djokovic made his earliest exit at a Grand Slam in more than two decades as the Serb succumbed to injury and illness in a shock first-round defeat by unseeded Argentine Mariano Navone at the US Open on Sunday.
The 39-year-old had arrived at Flushing Meadows with the aim of winning a fifth title and a record 25th major crown overall but crashed out 7-6(7/5), 5-7 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 to send shockwaves through the final Grand Slam of the year. Former champion Daniil Medvedev and highest-ranked American Jessica Pegula advanced with little fuss earlier in the day, as players began their campaigns to grab a slice of the record prize purse of $108 million up for grabs.
The last time Djokovic lost in the first round of a Grand Slam was at the Australian Open in 2006 and the Serb did not go down without a fight despite battling shoulder and back problems and vomiting midway through the match. “I pretty much despised every moment I spent on the court for that,” Djokovic told reporters.
“It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year. Vomiting, throwing up … Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain.” Although he reached the final of the Australian Open this year and the semi-finals at Wimbledon, Djokovic said he’s not equipped right now to go deep in tournaments — and he’s not sure what the fix is. “I’m just trying to address really what’s going on and how far I can go this way,” he said. With world number one Jannik Sinner absent and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz returning after a lengthy spell out injured, Djokovic looked primed for a run at a record 25th Grand Slam. But Navone had not read the script and completed the biggest win of his career against his idol at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“I was 0-3 down, feeling a bit nervous out of respect for the star I was up against,” the world number 49 told ESPN.
“It’s tough to play against Novak, he’s an idol. He never looked particularly comfortable with his shots or physically, that’s the truth. “In the fifth set he was a bit shaken. I had to focus on my game. You don’t get many chances to play an idol on a stage like this … it’s incredible what I’m feeling; it’s all so exciting. It’s mad.”
Earlier on Sunday, Russian Medvedev, who had crashed out in a chaotic first-round defeat a year ago, but was all business at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, downing French qualifier Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 to quieten doubts after a frustrating run-up to the tournament.
“The last couple of weeks were not easy,” said Medvedev, who exited the Cincinnati and Montreal tournaments early. “I’m happy that today I managed to produce high-level tennis. I felt like I did everything I wanted to do well,” he said.
Djokovic departed to cheers nearly 12 hours after world number three Pegula conquered her first-round nerves to dispatch Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2. Dozens of ticketholders were lined up long before the action kicked off and the home crowd was rewarded. — DNA
