Argentina’s Mariano Navone produced a major upset at the US Open, defeating Novak Djokovic in the first round after the Serbian struggled with vomiting, cramps, pain and exhaustion during a five-set battle at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
The world No. 49 overcame the No. 5 seed 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a match lasting 4 hours and 36 minutes. Djokovic made 70 unforced errors and appeared close to tears at several stages as he battled physical problems.
I’m really trying to come to terms with what’s happening and see how far I can go like this
Novak Djokovic
I suffered throughout the whole match from the fourth game on. Again, I don’t want to take anything away from his victory. Congratulations to him. He’s a good guy, a fighter. But I didn’t enjoy it
Novak Djokovic
Djokovic, 39, is a four-time US Open champion and 24-time Grand Slam winner. He was competing at the tournament for the 20th time and had won all 37 of his previous matches in the opening two rounds in New York.
The Serbian had not lost in the first round of a Grand Slam tournament since the 2006 Australian Open, a run spanning more than 20 years.
I’ve been very proud of all the achievements of the past, but the present is the present. I’ve just come off the court and I’m still trying to manage my body
Novak Djokovic
Navone said the build-up to the match had been difficult because he was facing Djokovic, whom he described as the greatest of all time and a familiar presence on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
“The lead-up was tough because I was going to play against the GOAT, against this rival, he has always been on this court (the New York center court). It’s a dream. Now I have to recover, I have to go to sleep and get ready,” Navone said after the match.
Djokovic struggled with vomiting and pain
Djokovic started strongly, opening a 3-0 lead and later going 4-1 ahead in the first set. However, his performance deteriorated as the match progressed.
He vomited several times, received treatment from the physiotherapist after requesting a medical timeout at the end of the fourth set, and struggled to hold back tears after Navone moved 4-1 ahead in the deciding set.
Djokovic was also seen taking pills in an effort to recover, but his bid to win a record-extending 25th Grand Slam title will have to wait.
The match ended when Djokovic hit a weak return, allowing Navone to respond with a shot that the exhausted Serbian could not stop.
Djokovic had previously experienced vomiting during his second-round defeat by Thiago Agustín Tirante in Cincinnati.
‘Djokovic: “It’s something I’ve been dealing with this year: vomiting, nausea, a serious problem in that regard”‘
Novak Djokovic admitted after the defeat that he had been dealing with vomiting and nausea in “practically in every match” he had played this year. He described the issue as “a serious problem” and said it had left him uncertain about how far he could continue.
“I think it was obvious that on the court I had a horrible feeling. It is something that, unfortunately, I have been carrying practically in every match this year: vomiting, nausea, a serious problem in that regard. Afterwards, my whole body basically starts to break down with cramps and pain. In the end, my back and shoulder could not take any more, and I couldn’t close it out,” Djokovic said at the post-match press conference in statements reported by the EFE agency.
“I had a break lead in the fourth set, but I suffered throughout the match from the fourth game on. Again, I don’t want to take anything away from his victory. Congratulations to him. He’s a good guy, a fighter. But I didn’t enjoy it,” he added.
Djokovic had never lost in the first round of his previous 19 US Open appearances.
“Yes, it’s a good record, another one. But, yes, the truth is I’m not thinking too much about it. Of course, I’ve been very proud of all the achievements of the past, but the present is the present. I just came off the court and I’m still trying to manage my body”.
“Right now I’m not going that deep. I’m just really trying to cope with what’s happening and see how far I can go like this,” he added.
