Novak Djokovic Breaks Down in Tears During Painful US Open Loss As His Family Looks On
· Yahoo Sports
Novak Djokovic’s hopes of winning his record-extending 25th Grand Slam title at the 2026 US Open were brutally crushed in the first round, as he suffered a surprising upset at the hands of Mariano Navone. The Serb was visibly emotional as he came to terms with his loss at Flushing Meadows.
How Novak Djokovic Reacted During His Shocking US Open Loss
Djokovic first sparked concern during his tournament opener when he required medication from the physiotherapist in the opening set. Although he bounced back from losing the first set by clinching the second and third sets, his physical struggles continued to surface. The 39-year-old vomited multiple times, was seen using an inhaler, and battled cramps as the match wore on.
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After Navone won the fourth set and made a strong start to the decider by taking a 3-1 lead, Djokovic was seen shedding tears as the crowd rallied behind him to encourage a comeback.
However, it was not to be, as Navone secured a hard-fought 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory in 4 hours and 36 minutes, handing the former world No. 1 his first opening-round loss at a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open.
Djokovic also appeared emotional as he acknowledged the packed crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium, with his wife, Jelena, and their children, Stefan and Tara, applauding him from the stands.
After Djokovic left the court, Navone opened up about how meaningful it was to face one of his idols in such a hard-fought battle.
“It’s unbelievable. It means a lot for me,” Navone said in his on-court interview. “It’s a dream come true, I mean seriously, 100 per cent. Now I have to recover. I think it’s almost 12 o’clock, so we have to go to sleep.”
MORE:Novak Djokovic Throws Up Mid-Match As Wife Jelena Reacts With Concern During Brutal US Open Scenes
Following his stunning upset over Novak Djokovic, Mariano Navone will fancy his chances of reaching the third round of the US Open for the first time in his career. However, another tough test awaits the Argentine, with either Stan Wawrinka or Matteo Berrettini looming as his second-round opponent.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.