Novak Djokovic suffered a stunning first-round defeat to Mariano Navone at the US Open, losing 7–6 (5), 5–7, 4–6, 6–2, 6–1 in a four-hour, 36-minute marathon that ended his remarkable streak of never losing in the opening round at Flushing Meadows. At 39, the three-time champion battled visible physical distress throughout the match, vomiting multiple times and fighting off severe cramps. The Argentine qualifier's breakthrough win overshadowed what should have been Djokovic's opening match at Flushing Meadows, marking his earliest exit from a Grand Slam in two decades and raising fresh questions about his viability on the hard courts.
Elsewhere on day one of the 2026 US Open, Daniil Medvedev bounced back from a rough run on the summer hard-court swing with a straight-sets victory over Hugo Gaston, while British qualifier Toby Samuel pulled off a shock thrashing of Czech star Tomas Machac on his Grand Slam debut. On the women's side, Jessica Pegula eased past Elena-Gabriela Ruse in straight sets despite early-match nerves, keeping American hopes alive. Carlos Alcaraz and Aryna Sabalenka enter as respective favorites, though the women's draw remains wide open with multiple contenders in play. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner continues his recovery and is not in the draw. The tournament rolls forward through the opening week with seeded players seeking to capitalize on an unexpectedly wide-open field.