Mariano Navone turned the first night of the 2026 US Open into a historic break with the expected script. The Argentine defeated Novak Djokovic 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday, August 30, inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. After four hours and 36 minutes, a match meant to open another Serbian pursuit of a 25th major instead became the biggest victory of Navone's career.
The result was not built on one swing. Navone erased an early break deficit and took the opening tiebreak, stayed composed as Djokovic claimed the second and third sets, then accelerated when his opponent could no longer sustain the same movement. The closing scores of 6-2 and 6-1 capture how decisively the night changed direction.
Djokovic dealt with physical trouble during the match, vomited more than once and received treatment before the fifth set. Afterwards, he described nausea, cramping and pain, along with limitations in his back and shoulder. Those were the player's own observations; without a published medical diagnosis, the responsible conclusion is that his condition deteriorated while Navone preserved his intensity and clarity.
The numbers underline the shift. Djokovic made 70 unforced errors and converted four of 12 break points. Navone converted six of 17 and did not unravel when his initial advantage disappeared. The Argentine did not have to erase his opponent's experience; he had to withstand it for five sets.
The historical scale is unusual. Djokovic had not lost in the first round of a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open. Across 20 US Open appearances, he had never exited at the opening stage. His only previous first-round defeats at a major came at the Australian Open in 2005 and 2006.
Navone arrived with an equally stark contrast. Ranked No. 49, he entered New York with an 0-4 record in five-set matches and a 12-29 tour-level record on hard courts. Against an opponent who had won 42 of 54 five-setters and 741 matches on the surface, he earned his first five-set victory on tennis' biggest stadium.
The upset also tears up the route the draw appeared to offer. Two days earlier, the bracket projected Djokovic toward Stan Wawrinka, Daniil Medvedev and Carlos Alcaraz. The US Open supplied an immediate reminder that a draw is geography, not destiny. The possible Alcaraz semifinal disappeared before the Spaniard had played, and the pursuit of a 25th major must restart at another tournament.
Navone advances to face the winner of Matteo Berrettini and Wawrinka. His next task is to leave the symbolic weight of this victory behind and return to the practical demands of a second round. Whatever follows, one fact is secure: he became the first man to beat Djokovic in the opening round in New York and authored one of the biggest recent upsets at a Grand Slam.
Sources consulted: US Open/USTA and ATP Tour. Reporting updated August 31, 2026.