Novak Djokovic Fights Body, Tears In US Open Exit

Novak Djokovic’s first US Open round 1 loss leaves his body to blame, and yet again proves that Father Time is undefeated. The 24-time major champion was up two sets to one and a break at one point in the match before he began to vomit and cramp.

The loss comes to gritty Argentine Mariano Navone. Navone specializes on clay but has built a solid first-week resume at the major tournaments over the last two years.

This was by no means a match that you could have expected Navone to win; however, he lacks a big serve and any weapons other than speed that could harm Djokovic even in the latter stages of his career. The match seemed over when Djokovic got the early break in the fourth set, but Navone quickly broke back, and from there Djokovic’s body left him unable to compete with Navone’s high level.

Take nothing away from Navone, who played one of the best matches of his life and needed to even with Djokovic’s failing body. The story won’t be that Navone won, rather that Djokovic lost, but it was still an incredible effort from the clay-court specialist.

The moment that broke tennis fans’ hearts came in the 5th set as the match was slipping away from Djokovic. He was left in tears mid-match on the court, a sight nobody has seen from him. The realization began to set in for him, and it makes you realize this could be the last time we see this great talent in New York at the US Open.

Nobody knows whether this is it for Djokovic, who has said he’d like to play until the 2028 Olympic Games, but if this is it for the game’s greatest talent, it is a mellow ending to one of the most polished and complete careers in sports.

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Article by Robert Blute