Novak Djokovic Admits to ‘Awful Feeling on the Court’ After 2026 US Open Shocker: What Went Wrong?

There were tears in Novak Djokovic's eyes as he held serve late in the fifth set of his Sunday US Open first match. Hypothetically, four years ago, this would be the point where the Serb would bring out his arsenal, lock down, and withstand his opponent.

The tears, however, suggested that Djokovic's body had betrayed him.

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As the Serb fell 7-6 (5) 5-7 4-6 6-2 6-1 to Mariano Navone in his first Grand Slam first-round loss since 2006, he now faces a crossroads in one of the final chapters of his career. The 24-time Grand Slam champion is 39, after all, and will slip outside the Top 10 of the rankings.

Djokovic Admits to 'Awful Feeling on the Court'

What Went Wrong?

Sunday night conditions seemed to give Djokovic a break from the demanding, hot New York sun. But Djokovic felt sick less than one hour into the match, letting a 3-0 lead slip, and dealing with nausea. He threw up in the third set and cramped in the fourth and fifth sets, unable to hit serves at full pace.

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Four hours and 36 minutes took everything out of Djokovic's body and mentality. There were some flashy winners early on in the match, but Djokovic wrapped the match up with 70 unforced errors.

"I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me," he said after the match, reported by The Associated Press. "This is something that, unfortunately, I've been dragging along in practically every match this year."

Djokovic declined a traditional press conference and spoke to a few reporters instead, according to Ben Rothenberg of Bounces.

"Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain," Djokovic continued, adding that his back and shoulder "gave up."

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Father Time Meets the Serb

Credit to Navone, who at 25 won his first ATP Tour title in 2026 and had the mental stamina to outlast Djokovic. He hit groundstrokes deep in the court, won over 70% of first serve points, and converted the break points when he needed to.

The match on Sunday was all about Djokovic. He had worked his way into the 2025 US Open second week before a respectable semifinal loss to Carlos Alcaraz in straight sets. He wasn't supposed to get anywhere near upsetting Alcaraz, the eventual champion. However, a Last Word on Tennis article in September 2025 acknowledged that "as all sportsmen discover, Father Time is an opponent that no one can beat."

Now, one year later, the alarm bells are ringing quite a bit more. The Serb isn't used to physically faltering so early in tournaments.

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In August, he had lost in similarly brutal physical conditions at the Cincinnati ATP 1000 event, falling 2-6 6-4 6-4 in his opener to Thiago Agustin Tirante. Reflecting on the match, he said in New York that the previous match was a blessing in disguise, because he was able to recuperate and train for the Grand Slam event.

After all, Djokovic has said frequently that Grand Slam events are his priority. But at 39, avoiding tournaments to prioritize best-of-five matches isn't as easy a strategy. Players need warm-up matches to prepare for the "big one." Playing for four hours, whether at 39 or 19, is a big challenge.

And struggling 30 minutes into a best-of-five match means there could be some wear and tear on Djokovic's body long term. It's been a long season, sure, though Djokovic has played just seven tournaments in 2026.

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The Last Word

Will he be back? Or won't he be back next year? That's what many pundits, journalists, and influencers will be saying over the grounds for the next two weeks.

Only Djokovic can decide when it's time for him to quit. Play on the ATP Tour ranked No. 20 in the world for the love of the game? Great for fans, and great for him, if that's what he wants. Or, if he decides no longer being a Grand Slam candidate is too big a challenge to break, he could hang his racket up this week — though don't worry, he was confirmed on the ATP 500 Beijing entry list on Monday.

His loss to Navone, however, suggests that being a serious Grand Slam candidate depends more on physical strength than mental strength. In recent years, Djokovic's mental fortitude and ability to lock down often won him the big matches. That may not be enough anymore.

"Forever grateful, New York," Djokovic wrote in a social media post after his first-round defeat.

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