Djokovic Shockingly Exits US Open First Round to Navone

Novak Djokovic experienced his earliest Grand Slam exit in 20 years on Sunday at the US Open, losing in five sets to 48th-ranked Mariano Navone with scores of 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. This defeat concluded Djokovic's pursuit of a record 25th Grand Slam title and ended his remarkable streak of 78 first-round victories, which dated back to his loss to Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open.

Djokovic, who is 39 years old, struggled physically throughout the match, suffering from vomiting and cramps. He took medication during the match and received a medical timeout before the final set.

Despite initially leading in the fourth set, Djokovic lost eight consecutive games, ultimately unable to recover as Navone dominated the decisive set. Djokovic had never lost before the third round at the US Open and had shown signs of frailty in his previous match in Cincinnati.