Novak Djokovic's pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title came to a stunning halt on Sunday night, as the 39-year-old Serbian lost in the first round of the US Open for the first time in his career, falling to unseeded Argentine Mariano Navone.
A Marathon Unlike Any Other
The match lasted four hours and 36 minutes, the longest opening-round contest of Djokovic's Grand Slam career, ending 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in Navone's favor under the lights at Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Visible Pain Throughout
Djokovic vomited on court multiple times, had his back strapped during a medical timeout, and was seen fighting tears in the deciding set as the crowd tried to will him toward a comeback. He had raced to an early 3-0 and 4-1 lead in the first set before it slipped away.
His Earliest Exit In Two Decades
The loss is Djokovic's earliest departure from a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open, and it means he will drop out of the ATP's top 10 for the first time since July 2018, having never previously lost in the first round at Flushing Meadows.
An Uncertain Road Ahead
Speaking afterward, Djokovic admitted he had not enjoyed the experience on court and said he was still trying to work out how far he can keep pushing his body. He had flagged concerns about his early-round form after also exiting early in Cincinnati just two weeks earlier.
With this year's tournament already the first Grand Slam since the 2003 French Open without a member of the sport's old guard reaching the second round, questions are mounting over whether Sunday's defeat marked the beginning of the end of Djokovic's storied Grand Slam career.