Physically struggling, vomiting into a towel bin and in tears, that was Novak Djokovic against unseeded Argentine Mariano Navone at the US Open.
If you ask any 90s kid, ‘Do you know this Djokovic?’, the answer would be no.
Over the years, Djokovic has been known for his ruthless style, the kind that makes his opponents tremble. But now, things are changing, and the sight of Djokovic struggling physically is becoming less unfamiliar than it once was. Equally unfamiliar were the tears. The Serbian is 39 years old now, and unfortunately, it is showing on the court.
The opening rounds were usually a cakewalk for the former world No. 1 at a Grand Slam.
And the facts scream louder than the Serb; it took 23 years for the four-time US Open champion to crash out of the tournament in round one. It is also the first time that he has suffered a first-round defeat at a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open. Playing against Argentina's Navone at the US Open, the tennis great struggled physically, but he still managed to put up a fight before eventually going down in a five-setter in New York, 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.
Despite his physical struggles, Djokovic led by two sets to one and had a break in the fourth set against the Argentine but could not close it out. Djokovic’s defeat also means that, for the first time in more than two decades, none of the sport’s Big Three- Djokovic, Roger Federer, or Rafael Nadal- will feature in the second round of a Grand Slam.
The loss to Navone was heartbreaking for Djokovic, but it is the manner in which he struggled in the humid conditions in New York that has worried his fans. Djokovic looked nauseous throughout the match at Arthur Ashe Stadium, and the 39-year-old appeared to be dealing with a similar problem when he competed at the Cincinnati Open two weeks ago, his only appearance on the North American hard courts before heading to New York. He also suffered a second-round exit there, losing to another Argentine Thiago Tirante.
Speaking to reporters after his exit from the US Open, Djokovic did not mince his words about how he felt. “I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. It's something that I've been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year,” Djokovic said. “Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain,” he added.
Djokovic last won a Grand Slam in 2023 at the US Open and is tied to Margaret Court’s all-time record of 24 majors. Since then, the Paris Olympic gold medallist has been eyeing his 25th Grand Slam. In pursuit of this, he has reached two Grand Slam finals and six semi-finals in the past three years.
Djokovic is well aware of his age and physical struggles, and he now competes in very few tournaments, with the Grand Slams being his priority. If he manages to win a major at this age, he will become the oldest man to do so. No man has ever won a Grand Slam after the age of 37. The oldest men's singles Grand Slam winner in the Open Era is Australian tennis player Ken Rosewall, who won the 1972 Australian Open when he was 37 years, one month and 24 days old.
Now, questions are inevitably being asked. Is Djokovic stretching his career too far? Will he eventually decide to hang up his racket, or will he continue his pursuit of glory?
Ultimately, the decision on the Serbian’s future lies in the hands of one man: Djokovic himself. But remember, he has 24 Grand Slam titles and 101 ATP titles to his name.
And if there is one thing we have learnt over the years, it is this: you can never count Novak Djokovic out. He has made a career out of defying expectations, and when you stop expecting him to fight back, that is often when Djokovic pounces.
