Archive · 1 Sep 2026
Mariano Navone Stuns Novak Djokovic in US Open First Round
Mariano Navone is a 25-year-old tennis player from Argentina.
He played Novak Djokovic in the first round of the 2026 US Open.
Djokovic has won 24 major tournaments and almost always wins his opening-round matches.
Navone won their match in five sets.
Djokovic became sick and had trouble moving during the later parts of the match.
Navone stayed calm and played strongly in the fourth and fifth sets.
This was Djokovic’s first opening-round loss at a Grand Slam since 2006.
Navone’s victory sent him into the second round and became the biggest win of his career.
Mariano Navone defeated fourth-seeded Novak Djokovic 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
The four-hour, 36-minute match ended Djokovic’s streak of 78 Grand Slam first-round victories.
Djokovic, 39, vomited several times and struggled with movement, cramps and physical discomfort.
Navone, ranked No. 49, overcame poor hard-court and five-set records to win.
The 25-year-old Argentine advanced to the second round, ending Djokovic’s bid for a 25th Grand Slam title.
- Who
- Argentine tennis player Mariano Navone defeated Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion.
- What
- Navone won a five-set first-round match, 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
- When
- The match was reported as taking place on Sunday or Monday, depending on the source and time zone, during the 2026 US Open.
- Where
- Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York.
- Why
- Navone advanced to the second round, while Djokovic’s pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title ended.
Navone’s Breakthrough
Djokovic’s Physical Struggle
Why the upset happened
Navone’s Breakthrough
Navone said his intensity and physicality were stronger in the fourth set, and he remained composed after losing the second and third sets.
Djokovic’s Physical Struggle
Djokovic struggled with movement and cramps, vomited multiple times, received a medical timeout and appeared physically limited in the deciding set.
How unlikely the result was
Navone’s Breakthrough
Navone entered with only 12 wins in his previous 41 tour-level hard-court matches and an 0-4 record in five-set matches, making the victory particularly unexpected.
Djokovic’s Physical Struggle
Djokovic had won 42 of his previous 54 five-set matches and had recorded 78 straight Grand Slam first-round victories, giving him a substantial historical advantage.
- Winner
- Mariano Navone
- Match score
- 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
- Match duration
- Four hours and 36 minutes
- Navone’s ranking
- No. 49 in the ATP Rankings
- Djokovic’s first-round streak
- 78 Grand Slam first-round victories dating to the 2006 Australian Open
- Navone’s career surface records
- 44-32 on clay and 12-29 on hard courts
- Navone’s next stage
- Second round of the US Open
- Djokovic’s title pursuit
- A record-extending 25th Grand Slam title
Sources
US Open: Meet Mariano Navone, the Argentine who upset Novak Djokovic in round 1
‘Best Day Of My Life’: Mariano Navone Stuns Novak Djokovic In US Open 2026 First Round
US Open 2026: Novak Djokovic suffers shock first-round defeat to Mariano Navone
Who is Mariano Navone? 25-year-old becomes first to defeat Novak Djokovic in Round 1 of a Grand Slam since 2006
US Open 2026: Mariano Navone stuns Novak Djokovic in first round
