Mariano Navone produced one of the biggest shocks of the 2026 US Open, stunning fourth seed Novak Djokovic in a dramatic five-set first-round battle at Arthur Ashe Stadium. The Argentine fought back from a two-sets-to-one deficit to put the 24-time Grand Slam champion on the brink of a stunning early exit. Djokovic made a strong recovery after dropping the opening set 6-7(5), taking the second 7-5 before edging Navone 6-4 in the third. However, the Serbian’s physical struggles became increasingly evident as the marathon encounter progressed. He had reportedly vomited multiple times during the match while also struggling with his movement.
Navone refused to let the opportunity slip away. Despite Djokovic taking an early break in the fourth set, the Argentine responded brilliantly and stormed through the set 6-2 to force a decider. The momentum had completely shifted, with Navone playing aggressively while Djokovic battled to stay in contention.The fifth set became a tense battle of survival, with Navone eventually moving to the brink of victory. The Argentine entered the match without a previous meeting against Djokovic, making his performance even more remarkable against one of the most decorated players in tennis history.
For Djokovic, the defeat would represent a stunning blow to his bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title. The Serbian arrived in New York as a four-time US Open champion and had entered the tournament with a 95-15 record at Flushing Meadows. A first-round exit would therefore mark an extraordinary setback in his latest pursuit of Grand Slam history.