Ailing Novak Djokovic falls in US Open first round for earliest grand slam exit in 20 years
Novak Djokovic suffered a shock first-round exit at the US Open after falling to Mariano Navone in a five-set match marked by physical distress. The 24-time grand slam champion struggled with illness and heat-related exhaustion throughout the match.
Why it matters
The early exit of a dominant tennis figure marks a significant shift in the tournament's trajectory and raises questions about the athlete's health and future performance.
Serbia's Novak Djokovic crashed out of the US Open in the first round with a five-set defeat to Argentina's Mariano Navone. Serbia's Novak Djokovic crashed out of the US Open in the first round with a five-set defeat to Argentina's Mariano Navone. Novak Djokovic Ailing Novak Djokovic falls in US Open first round for earliest grand slam exit in 20 years Mariano Navone wins 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1
Djokovic vomits numerous times and endures cramps
Prefer the Guardian on Google The first night session of the US Open this year was approaching the three-hour mark when Novak Djokovic walked briskly to the corner of the vast Arthur Ashe Stadium court, bent down and vomited the contents of his stomach straight into the towel bin.
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