End Of An Era? Djokovic Exits US Open Which Raises Uncomfortable Questions

Novak Djokovic has spent the better part of two decades making the impossible look routine. On Sunday night at the US Open, however, the 24-time Grand Slam champion looked painfully human.

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Djokovic crashed out of the US Open as unseeded Argentine Mariano Navone claimed the biggest victory of his career with a stunning 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 first-round win.

The result was shocking enough.

The manner of it was even more concerning.

From Control To Collapse

After dropping the opening set, Djokovic responded like the champion he is, winning the next two and then breaking early in the fourth.

Usually, that’s where opponents begin to lose hope. Instead, Djokovic’s body began to betray him. The 39-year-old vomited multiple times during the match and struggled with cramping as well as back and shoulder problems.

Navone sensed his opportunity, taking the fourth set 6-2 before racing through the decider 6-1.

By the closing stages, Djokovic was fighting back tears.

This wasn’t simply a champion being outplayed. It looked like a champion whose body could no longer do everything his mind demanded of it.

Twenty Years Of Dominance Ends

The numbers underline the magnitude of the upset.

Djokovic hadn’t lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open.

It was also his first-ever first-round defeat at the US Open, where he has lifted the trophy four times.

The Serbian arrived in New York once again chasing history, with a 25th Grand Slam title set to move him beyond Margaret Court for sole possession of the all-time record.

Instead, that pursuit lasted just one match.

More Than One Bad Night?

That is where this defeat becomes particularly concerning.

Djokovic revealed afterwards that the physical problems he experienced against Navone have plagued him throughout the year.

“It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year,” he said.

He described vomiting, cramping and pain before admitting his back and shoulder eventually gave up. At 39, it inevitably raises an uncomfortable question.

How much longer can he keep doing this?

Writing Djokovic off has historically been a terrible idea. His competitiveness remains ferocious, and there have been enough reminders this season that he can still compete deep into Grand Slams.

But winning seven best-of-five-set matches over two weeks requires more than having the tennis to beat the world’s best.

The body has to survive them.

Increasingly, that appears to be Djokovic’s greatest opponent.

Give Navone His Flowers

For all the inevitable discussion surrounding Djokovic’s condition, Navone deserves enormous credit.

The Argentine faced arguably the greatest player tennis has ever seen on its biggest stage and refused to be overwhelmed.

Even after Djokovic recovered from losing the first set to lead two sets to one, Navone kept fighting.

When his opportunity arrived, he took it emphatically.

He’ll now forever be the man who ended one of Djokovic’s most remarkable streaks.

Is This The Beginning Of The End?

One defeat shouldn’t become a retirement announcement, especially when Djokovic is involved.

But what happened in New York can’t simply be dismissed either.

The image of Djokovic vomiting, struggling to move and fighting back tears was difficult to reconcile with the seemingly indestructible athlete who dominated men’s tennis for so long.

Perhaps he’ll recover and return for another assault on Grand Slam No 25.

Nobody should rule it out.

But for nearly two decades, Novak Djokovic seemed inevitable.

After a shocking night in New York, he suddenly looks mortal.