NEW YORK: Novak Djokovic made his earliest exit at a Grand Slam in more than two decades as the Serb succumbed to injury and illness in a shock first-round defeat by unseeded Argentine Mariano Navone at the US Open on Sunday.

The 39-year-old had arrived at Flushing Mea­dows with the aim of winning a fifth title and a record 25th major crown overall but crashed out 7-6(7/5), 5-7 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 to send shockwaves through the final Grand Slam of the year.

Former champion Daniil Medvedev and highest-ranked American Jessica Pegula advanced with little fuss earlier in the day, as players began their campaigns to grab a slice of the record prize purse of $108 million up for grabs.

The last time Djokovic lost in the first round of a Grand Slam was at the Australian Open in 2006 and the Serb did not go down without a fight despite battling shoulder and back problems and vomiting midway through the match.

“I pretty much despised every moment I spent on the court for that,” Djokovic told reporters.

“It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year. Vomiting, throwing up … Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain.”

Although he reached the final of the Australian Open this year and the semi-finals at Wimbledon, Djokovic said he’s not equipped right now to go deep in tournaments — and he’s not sure what the fix is.

“I’m just trying to address really what’s going on and how far I can go this way,” he said.

With world number one Jannik Sinner absent and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz returning after a lengthy spell out injured, Djokovic looked primed for a run at a record 25th Grand Slam.

But Navone had not read the script and completed the biggest win of his career against his idol at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“I was 0-3 down, feeling a bit nervous out of respect for the star I was up against,” the world number 49 told ESPN.

“It’s tough to play against Novak, he’s an idol. He never looked particularly comfortable with his shots or physically, that’s the truth.

“In the fifth set he was a bit shaken. I had to focus on my game. You don’t get many chances to play an idol on a stage like this … it’s incredible what I’m feeling; it’s all so exciting. It’s mad.”

Earlier on Sunday, Russian Medvedev, who had crashed out in a chaotic first-round defeat a year ago, but was all business at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, downing French qualifier Hugo Gaston 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 to quieten doubts after a frustrating run-up to the tournament.

“The last couple of weeks were not easy,” said Medvedev, who exited the Cincinnati and Montreal tournaments early. “I’m happy that today I managed to produce high-level tennis. I felt like I did everything I wanted to do well,” he said.

Djokovic departed to cheers nearly 12 hours after world number three Pegula conquered her first-round nerves to dispatch Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2.

Dozens of ticketholders were lined up long before the action kicked off and the home crowd was rewarded.

The 2024 finalist next plays Sofia Kenin, who defeated fellow wild card Venus Williams 6-2 7-6(8/6) in a contest that began at 12:13 am on Arthur Ashe Stadium in the latest starting women’s match in US Open history.

Twice Grand Slam cham­pion Barbora Krejc­ikova earlier became the first seeded player to exit the tournament, saving six match points before succumbing to Kamilla Rakhimova 7-6(7/4), 6-2 on the outer courts.

Italian Jasmine Paolini survived a scare to beat Slovenia’s Veronika Erjavec 6-3, 3-6, 6-4 in the opener at Louis Armstrong Stadium to set up a meeting with compatriot Lucrezia Stefanini.

Czech Jiri Lehecka kicked off the action on the Grandstand with a 6-1, 7-6(7/5), 4-6, 6-2 win over Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta before Ukraine’s Marta Kostyuk swatted aside Australian Storm Hunter 6-4, 6-1 at the same stadium.

Kostyuk was joined in the next round by compatriot Elina Svitolina, who eased past Solana Sierra 6-1, 6-2.

Dino Prizmic saved two match points in a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 victory over Aleksandr Shevchenko.

And Spaniard Jaume Munar needed nearly five hours to secure a 6-7 (5/7), 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 victory over Frenchman Terence Atmane.

Former champion Marin Cilic and 2022 runner-up Casper Ruud pulled out due to injuries shortly after the tournament got underway.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2026