Ailing Djokovic 'despised' every moment of US Open defeat

Novak Djokovic's hopes of claiming his 25th Grand Slam title at the 2026 US Open were abruptly dashed as he suffered a shocking first-round defeat to Mariano Navone. The world No. 49, ranked a far cry from Djokovic's esteemed position, outplayed the 39-year-old Serbian in a grueling five-set battle that lasted four hours and 36 minutes.

This marked the longest opening match of a Grand Slam in Djokovic's career, and also his earliest exit from a major tournament since 2006. Navone's physical struggles and discomfort in the oppressive humidity proved to be a major hurdle for the Serbian champion, who opened up about his own health issues. Djokovic revealed that he had been battling vomiting, cramps and pain throughout the match, with his back and shoulder ultimately giving way.

"I didn’t enjoy myself," he admitted, "It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year." The outcome of Djokovic's battle against both Navone and his own health issues remains uncertain as he contemplates potential solutions.