For the first time in 20 years, Novak Djokovic has lost in the first round of a Grand Slam as he was reduced to tears inside the Arthur Ashe Stadium. <\/p>\n
The Serbian legend was stunned by World No.49 Mariano Navone at Flushing Meadows as the 39-year-old failed to overcome a lower back problem and the intense humidity on court.<\/p>\n
Watch Novak Djokovic\u2019s emotional moment via the video player below<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
While his Argentinian rival, almost 15 years his junior, thrived in the grind, Djokovic suffered his first opening-round Grand Slam exit since he was beaten in four sets by Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open, when he was just 18. <\/p>\n
Navone showed grit from the outset, fighting back from an early break to take a one-set lead in a tiebreaker 7-6 (7-5).<\/p>\n
Alarmingly early in the second set, the 24-time grand slam champ said to his box: \u201cI have nothing right now\u201d.<\/p>\n
While initially that seemed not to be the case as he won both the second and third sets, the signs were there that he wasn\u2019t at the peak of his powers. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe looks punch drunk,\u201d commentator Mary Carillo said on ESPN.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s against the ropes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe was wobbling a bit,\u201d co-commentator Jimmy Arias added during a change of ends in the third set.<\/p>\n
In the third set alone, Djokovic committed more than a dozen unforced errors and four double faults as his movement and accuracy abandoned him.<\/p>\n
He then threw up just before the end of the fourth set at the back of the court.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can see that (the humidity) is the struggle for both players,\u201d Jelena Dokic said in commentary on Nine.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t know which way this is going to go. If we go into a fifth set, this will be an extremely long first round match. Novak is still hanging on here, though.\u201d<\/p>\n
Djokovic took a medical timeout to receive treatment on his lower back ahead of the fifth set, and was visibly emotional while a break down as the match slipped away from him.<\/p>\n
He was comfortably dispatched in the decider to seal his fate and bring up a memorable win for Navone, 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a lot going on there. He could barely walk,\u201d Dokic said after the US Open boilover.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou just wonder where does he go from here? Will he be back at the US Open? Only he knows that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Djokovic arrived in New York having competed only once after his semi-final run at Wimbledon.<\/p>\n
That was at the Cincinnati Open where he lost in the opening round to Thiago Agust\u00edn Tirante as the humidity also proved too much.<\/p>\n
As for Navone, he has pulled off the greatest win of his career and could hardly believe it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is the best day I\u2019ve had. It\u2019s amazing – and on one of the biggest stages,\u201d he said post-match.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe way we played. Five sets against the GOAT. It doesn\u2019t happen every day.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am very happy. I don\u2019t know what I can say.\u201d<\/p>\n
Navone has previously said he\u2019s idolised Djokovic and said playing against him is a dream come true.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is unbelievable. It means a lot for me … the match was tough for me because you are playing with the GOAT. It is a dream come true, 100 per cent,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Aussie mixed bag on Day 1<\/p>\n
Djokovic\u2019s struggles come on what has been a tough opening day for the Australian contingent.<\/p>\n
Qualifier Storm Hunter was defeated by 11th seed Marta Kostyuk, while breakout Aussie star Talia Gibson lost in three sets to Donna Vekic.<\/p>\n
Gibson had her rival on the ropes down 0-40 serving at 4-2, only to miss five straight returns to let the Paris Olympics silver medallist off the hook.<\/p>\n
That blunder would in the end prove costly as the Croatian came back to take the match.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a hard one to swallow,\u201d Gibson said after the loss.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of the time it\u2019s who makes the most unforced errors on the court who comes away with the loss, and today that was me, so it\u2019s just something to learn from.<\/p>\n
\u201cDays like these are really tough. It\u2019s hard not to be disappointed. When it comes to the slams, every player wants to do well.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut if I\u2019m looking at my entire year so far, I\u2019ve been able to achieve some things that probably at the start of the year I probably wouldn\u2019t have thought I\u2019d be able to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo to still be in the position ranking that I currently have and moving forward to these next tournaments, I don\u2019t really have any points to defend, so it\u2019s kind of just no pressure and more opportunities.\u201d<\/p>\n
Adam Walton also crashed out to China\u2019s Yibin Wu in straight sets.<\/p>\n
However, it wasn\u2019t all doom and gloom with rising star Taylah Preston beating local hope Alycia Parks in straight sets. <\/p>\n
The 20-year-old was dominant from start to finish as she reeled off a 6-3, 6-3 win.<\/p>\n
Two more Aussies will take to the court on Monday morning in a bid to be the first Aussie through to the second round. <\/p>\n
Kim Birrell and Alexandar Vukic also took to the court on Day 1. However, their matches were stopped by rain and will be continued tomorrow.<\/p>\n
Birrell is a set down and the match is precariously balanced in a second set tiebreak, while Vukic is midway through the fifth set against Rei Sakamoto.<\/p>\n
World No. 7 Alex de Minaur\u2019s US Open campaign will begin tomorrow morning against Italian qualifier Andrea Guerrieri.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"For the first time in 20 years, Novak Djokovic has lost in the first round of a 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