For the third time in his career, Djokovic loses in the first round of a Grand Slam. It hasn't happened since 2006!

As I write this news, I still find it hard to believe. The victory of Mariano Navone over Novak Djokovic in the first round of the US Open 2026 clearly belongs to that group of events that one does not see coming. The Argentine has achieved something that seemed almost impossible for two decades: eliminating the Serbian in his debut at a Grand Slam tournament.

Djokovic had only lost twice in his career in the first round of a 'major'. Both occurred, moreover, at the beginning of his professional career and at the Australian Open: against Marat Safin in 2005 and against Paul Goldstein in 2006. Since then, the Serbian had turned the first match of each Grand Slam into virtually impregnable territory.

Goodbye to a streak of 78 matches

The magnitude of the statistic is better understood when put into numbers. Djokovic had linked 78 consecutive victories in first rounds of Grand Slams since that defeat against Goldstein in Melbourne. Even in the most difficult moments of his career, he had never stumbled in the first round of a 'major'. Navone has just brought that streak to an end.

And he did it precisely at the tournament where the Serbian had never lost in the first round. Djokovic had won his previous 19 debuts in New York and came into this edition with an impressive record of 95-15 at the US Open. Moreover, this was his twentieth appearance in Flushing Meadows.

The Argentine won 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, and 6-1 after four hours and 36 minutes of battle. Djokovic managed to take the lead after losing the first set, but his physical condition ultimately affected the match completely. Thus, at 39 years old and with 24 Grand Slams in his portfolio, Djokovic writes another unexpected page in his career. This time not by winning, but because Navone has managed to topple one of the last statistical certainties that still remained intact.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Por tercera vez en su carrera, Djokovic cae derrotado en primera ronda de un Grand Slam. ¡No sucedía desde 2006!