Questions abound for Novak Djokovic after US Open loss and 3 years without a Grand Slam title

Novak Djokovic, the Serbian tennis star, suffered an early exit from the U.S. Open, losing to Mariano Navone in the first round. The 39-year-old, who holds a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, bowed out with a score of 7-6 (5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. This marks his earliest Grand Slam loss in two decades, dating back to the 2006 Australian Open, and the first time he has lost his opener at the U.S. Open.

The loss highlights Djokovic's recent physical struggles. After a successful start to the year, including a run to the Australian Open final, the champion has been dealing with various injuries. He played sparingly due to a right shoulder injury and was weakened by a Paris heat wave during a match against Joao Fonseca, forcing him out in five sets. Djokovic's performance at Wimbledon was bolstered, but he faced another setback at the Cincinnati Open, where he was defeated by a lower-ranked opponent.