Tearful Djokovic Loses Shock First‑Round Match at US Open

Tennis

Novak Djokovic cried a lot after losing his first match at the US Open. (Getty Images: Matthew Stockman)

In short:

Novak Djokovic lost his first‑round match to Mariano Navone, 7‑6 (7/5), 5‑7, 4‑6, 6‑2, 6‑1.

Former US Open winner Daniil Medvedvev won his first match in straight sets.

Former champion Marin Cilic and 2022 runner‑up Casper Ruud withdrew from the US Open because of injuries.

An emotional Novak Djokovic suffered his earliest Grand Slam loss in 20 years after a surprise five‑set defeat to Argentina’s Mariano Navone.

Playing with tears in the final set, four‑time champion Djokovic – who felt pain for most of the match – lost to world No. 49 Navone, 7‑6 (7/5), 5‑7, 4‑6, 6‑2, 6‑1.

The match lasted almost four hours and 36 minutes on Arthur Ashe Stadium and ended just before midnight local time.

The last time Djokovic lost in the first round of a major was at the 2006 Australian Open.

He had never before lost his opening match at Flushing Meadows.

Djokovic made 70 unforced errors in the match.

The 24‑time major champion vomited at least once and later seemed to cramp when he grabbed his left foot.

Novak Djokovic looked uncomfortable throughout the match. (Getty Images: Julian Finney)

"I really hated every minute I spent on the court that day," Djokovic told reporters.

"I didn’t enjoy it. It was clear I felt terrible on the court."

Djokovic added: "I have been dealing with this problem all year – vomiting during matches. It is a serious issue."

"Then my whole body started to collapse, cramping and hurting. My back gave out, my shoulder hurt, and I could not finish the match."

The 39‑year‑old took pills given by a doctor and had his lower back massaged during a medical timeout between the fourth and fifth sets.

He also grimaced after several shots.

It was obvious on court that Djokovic was not himself, as illness and soreness affected him.

"Five sets against the GOAT is not something you do every day. I am very happy," Navone said after the match.

"It means a lot to me. It is a dream come true. Now I must recover. It is almost midnight, we need to sleep."

Mariano Navone (left) shakes hands with Novak Djokovic after his upset win. (Getty Images: Julian Finney)

Djokovic entered his 20th US Open with doubts about his form after a loss to Thiago Agustin Tirante in Cincinnati two weeks earlier.

The match started in humid weather but the roof was closed when rain fell at Flushing Meadows.

Earlier, former champion Daniil Medvedev beat France’s Hugo Gaston 6‑4, 6‑2, 6‑4, ending his disappointing campaign from a year ago with an aggressive display at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Medvedev, a frequent and happy villain at the tournament he won in 2021, lost in the first round in 2025 but played strongly on Sunday, hitting 34 winners to his opponent’s 11.

"You have to play your own game. I knew he would use drop shots and under‑arm serves," Medvedev said.

"I needed to hit winners and put pressure on him."

Russia’s Daniil Medvedev celebrates after beating France’s Hugo Gaston in the first round. (Reuters: Mike Segar)

Gaston’s creative shots could not trouble the tall, quick Medvedev, and the Frenchman gave away a break with a misplaced backhand in the seventh game.

The seventh seed raised his level in the second set, when the Frenchman handed him a break in the third game after a forehand went into the net.

Medvedev kept the momentum, leaping to hit a perfect backhand on break point in the seventh game.

Only days after talking about a possible pickleball career after his opening‑match loss in Winston‑Salem, the Russian turned another break point in the third set by hitting a forehand past Gaston.

He finished the match with an unreturnable serve and will face the winner of the Sunday match between American wildcard Sebastian Gorzny and Belgian Raphael Collignon.

Cilic, Ruud pull out injured

Former champion Marin Cilic and 2022 runner‑up Casper Ruud withdrew from the tournament because of injuries shortly after play began on Sunday.

Croatian Marin Cilic has withdrawn from the US Open, a Grand Slam he won in 2014. (Reuters: Imagn Images/David Kirouac)

Cilic won his only major title at Flushing Meadows 12 years ago and will be replaced in the draw by lucky loser Otto Virtanen, who will meet 23rd seed Andrey Rublev in the first round.

Virtanen withdrew from his third‑round qualifying match against Grigor Dimitrov due to injury.

Organisers did not say what injured the 37‑year‑old Cilic. The veteran joins a growing list of withdrawals that includes Jannik Sinner, Jack Draper, Joao Fonseca and Holger Rune.

Ruud, the runner‑up to Carlos Alcaraz four years ago, also withdrew, and lucky loser Arthur Gea will take his place in the opening round. The Norwegian will meet Juan Manuel Cerundolo first.

The 27‑year‑old Ruud retired in the second set of his Cincinnati Open match with Christopher O’Connell this month, saying his back injury had not healed in time.

"Unfortunately my back has not healed as quickly as we hoped," Ruud wrote on Instagram.

"We were hopeful I would recover, but my team and I decided to think long‑term and give my body the time it needs. I am very sad to announce I must withdraw from this year’s US Open singles."

"Missing a Grand Slam is never easy, but I know this is the right choice. I will take the time to recover properly and return stronger."

Ruud played in the new mixed‑doubles event last week with Diana Shnaider; they lost in the quarter‑finals to Rublev and Mirra Andreeva.

Pegula shakes off nerves to win

Third‑ranked Jessica Pegula overcame nerves that caused a slow start against Elena‑Gabriela Ruse, winning her first match in straight sets.

Starting at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the 32‑year‑old American missed her first nine break chances but then found rhythm and began to dominate. After a recent final at the Cincinnati Open, which she lost to Coco Gauff, Pegula won 92% of her first‑serve points to beat Ruse 6‑3, 6‑2 in 83 minutes.

"I was so nervous," Pegula said. "I felt like sending GIFs of how I felt – GIFs of people freaking out. The first round of a slam always brings a lot of nerves."

Maybe a little more this time, given what’s at stake.

Pegula leads the women’s tour with 46 wins this season. She has two titles, reached three other finals, and can become world No. 1 if she wins her first major and Elena Rybakina loses before the semifinals.

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