Novak Djokovic's US Open campaign ended in the first round on Sunday with a 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 loss to Mariano Navone, marking his earliest exit from a Grand Slam in two decades. The defeat also ended a streak of 78 consecutive first-round victories at majors, which began at the 2006 French Open.

Djokovic, 39, struggled physically from early in the match and was visibly distressed throughout, vomiting into a courtside bucket and repeatedly doubling over in pain. He received tablets from a tournament physio and fluids from his team. Despite his discomfort, he managed to win the second and third sets after dropping the opener, but Navone, 25 and ranked 48th, regained control in the fourth and dominated the deciding set.

After the match, Djokovic broke down in tears and said he "despised" every moment of the match. "I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me," he said. He explained that he has been dealing with a health issue that affects him in hot, humid conditions for "many years," and that the symptoms came on early. "The vomiting, the gagging, it's a serious problem," he said. "Then my whole body started to give way, with cramps and pain. In the end, my back and shoulder also gave out, and I couldn't finish the match. I was a break up in the fourth set, but I had already been struggling a lot from the fourth game onwards."

Djokovic used an ice bag on his head during the humid conditions and asked for the air conditioning to be switched on after the roof was closed due to rain. His physical struggles began early, and he was visibly drained as the match progressed.

When asked how he might address the physical problems, Djokovic expressed uncertainty about his future. "I don't know [how I can solve it]. At the moment, I don't want to go into too much detail. I'm just trying to understand what's going on and how much longer I can keep going like this," he said. He also acknowledged that he was not physically capable of going deep into tournaments at present.

Despite the defeat, Djokovic congratulated his opponent. "I don't want to take anything away from his victory. Congratulations to him. He's a good guy and a fighter. But I didn't have fun out there," he said.

Navone, who had never faced Djokovic before, said it was "unbelievable" to beat his childhood idol. "It was a tough match, a battle. Playing against Novak the first time in the biggest stage we have in the world of tennis right now… I mean, it's crazy," he said.

Djokovic's loss follows a series of setbacks this year, including a defeat in his only Cincinnati match to Thiago Agustin Tirante. Earlier in 2025, he reached the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semi-finals.

The defeat raises questions about Djokovic's future in tennis, with the Serbian star now facing an uncertain path as he continues to battle health issues that have hampered him throughout the season.