Djokovic: The Tears That Changed Everything
19 Wins. Then This. The First Time in 20 Years.
Novak Djokovic had won his first-round match at the US Open 19 consecutive times. He had not lost in the opening round of any Grand Slam since Paul Goldstein beat him at the 2006 Australian Open. On August 31, 2026, at Flushing Meadows, world No. 49 Mariano Navone of Argentina ended both streaks in a single evening. The final score was 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. Djokovic vomited on court, doubled over in pain, and was seen wiping tears from his eyes in the fifth set. He is 39 years old and holds 24 Grand Slam titles, the most of any man in history.
Five Sets, Four Hours, and a Body That Gave Out
Djokovic received medical treatment to his lower back and shoulder during the match. He managed to win the second and third sets, keeping himself in contention, but lost the last 12 of 13 games as his body collapsed in the fourth and fifth. He vomited several times. He considered retiring from the match mid-set but pushed on. When Navone hit the final winner, Djokovic stood at the back of the court with his hands on his hips and his head bowed. He had been 19-0 in US Open first rounds. Now he is 19-1. It was only the fourth time in his career he has reached the 20-match mark at a single Grand Slam.
"The vomiting, the gagging, it is a serious problem. My whole body started to give way, with cramps and pain. My back and shoulder gave out and I could not finish.
"Novak Djokovic (press conference August 31 2026)
He Said He Did Not Know How to Fix It
In the press conference after the match, Djokovic was asked whether he knew how to resolve the physical problem that has followed him all year. "I don't know," he said. "At the moment, I don't want to go into too much detail. I'm just trying to understand what's going on and how much longer I can keep going like this." It was the rawest admission of a career defined by its refusal to admit limits. He has previously suffered through a wrist injury, a knee surgery, a hip operation, and a career-altering elbow procedure. Each time, he came back to win more titles. But this is different: the problem is unspecified, persistent, and has followed him across the entire 2026 season.
What Henin and Bartoli Said After Watching
Seven-time Grand Slam champion Justine Henin, speaking after the match, said she was "a little bit more concerned than I was a few months ago." She noted that Djokovic "still plays for the majors" and "to make the history of the game in another way," but questioned whether he could "enjoy not being able to compete at the highest level." Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli was more direct: "It was so sad to watch. To see him suffer that much was heart-breaking. The way he was physically suffering is worrying. His health should come first."
Grand Slam titles (men's record)
24
US Open titles
4 (2015, 2016, 2021, 2023)
US Open first-round record
19-1 (first loss August 31 2026)
Last Grand Slam R1 loss before this
2006 Australian Open (20 years)
US Open matches played all time
20th (one of 4 men ever)
2026 titles
0 (first title-less season since 2005)
The 2028 Question
Djokovic has said publicly that he wants to retire at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, playing one last match draped in the Serbian flag. That ambition is now two full years away. He has not held a trophy in 2026. He lost his opener at Cincinnati two weeks before the US Open. He left Flushing Meadows without telling anyone when he would return or whether he would enter another tournament this year. "I'm just trying to understand what's going on and how much longer I can keep going like this" is either the beginning of the end, or one more line in a career built on defying exactly that reading. The difference is that this time, there were tears.