Novak Djokovic’s US Open shocker: All records were broken in his first-round exit

Novak Djokovic of Serbia gestures to the crowd after losing to Mariano Navon of Argentina during the first round of the US Open tennis championships Sunday, Aug. 30, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II) Novak Djokovic’s first-round defeat at the 2026 US Open may have ended his campaign sooner than expected, but the match produced several major records and milestones for both the Serbian great and his opponent Mariano Navone.The match marked Djokovic’s 20th appearance at the US Open, making him only the fourth men’s singles player to reach the milestone. He joined Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and Feliciano Lopez in the exclusive group.“I’m very proud of it,” Djokovic said. “Obviously, longevity was always one of the goals when I was younger: to try to have a long career, to try to have more shots at the Grand Slam and to stay healthy long enough to perform for as many years as possible.”Djokovic has appeared in every US Open since his debut in 2005, except for 2017, when a right elbow injury forced him to miss the tournament. He won the title four times, in 2011, 2015, 2018 and 2023.His first US Open match, a five-set marathon against Gael Monfils, came two decades ago. Monfils, who is about to retire, is also starting at this year’s tournament.“Here we are 20 years later,” Djokovic said. “We’re both still grinding and representing the older generation.”

Records were broken during this historic night

While Djokovic added another longevity record, his defeat to Navon ended one of his most remarkable Grand Slam streaks. Navone stunned the 24-time major champion 7-6, 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 to record the biggest victory of his career.The defeat snapped Djokovic’s streak of 78 consecutive first-round wins at Grand Slam tournaments. It was his first opening-round loss at a major since the 2006 Australian Open, ending a run that spanned nearly two decades.The four-hour, 36-minute battle also became the longest first-round match at a major tournament in Djokovic’s professional career.For Navone, the victory was the biggest in his career.It was a night of contrasting milestones for Djokovic, his 20th appearance at the US Open ending in his earliest exit from the tournament and the loss of one of his longest Grand Slam streaks.