US Open: Djokovic, 39, suffers shock first-round exit as tears flow, foreign media says he feels time catching up

Novak Djokovic’s body appeared to give out before his competitive instincts did. The 39-year-old Serbian star vomited repeatedly, struggled with cramps and injuries, and ultimately lost a five-set battle to Argentina’s Mariano Navone in the first round of the 2026 US Open.

The match lasted 4 hours and 36 minutes. Djokovic requested medical treatment after the fourth set, while New York’s humid conditions further aggravated his physical problems. He entered the match in poor form and never fully recovered as Navone, 25, completed the upset.

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The tearful Djokovic finally realized that time shows no mercy.

Djokovic fell behind 3-0 at the start of the fifth set. After finally holding his first service game, he received a loud ovation from the crowd. He responded by wiping tears with his wristband as his emotions overwhelmed him.

Tennis journalist Bastien Fachan wrote that “the tearful Djokovic finally realized that time shows no mercy.” Fachan also cited Andre Agassi, who appeared in a recently released Djokovic documentary: “I don’t know when his career will come to an end, but one thing is certain: when the end really comes, it always comes quickly.” The loss was Djokovic’s first first-round exit at Flushing Meadows.

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I don’t know when his career will come to an end, but one thing is certain: when the end really comes, it always comes quickly.