Djokovic Falls to Navone, Williams to Kenin at US Open on August 31
Novak Djokovic, ranked No. 5, lost to world No. 49 Mariano Navone in a five-set marathon at the US Open on August 31, marking his first first-round exit at the tournament. Venus Williams, 46, lost to Sofia Kenin the same day, extending her singles losing streak to 15 consecutive matches since her return last July.
Novak Djokovic, ranked No. 5 in the world, lost to Mariano Navone, ranked No. 49, in a five-set marathon at Arthur Ashe Stadium on August 31, the first day of the US Open main draw. According to Front Office Sports, it was Djokovic's first first-round loss at the tournament, where he has won the title four times and holds 24 Grand Slam championships overall. The match lasted four hours and 36 minutes, forcing the evening's remaining play to be pushed to Louis Armstrong Stadium.
Djokovic, 39, displayed visible signs of distress throughout the contest. According to reporting, he vomited several times during the match and used an inhaler during breaks. After the loss, he said he has been dealing with health issues "pretty much every match this year." At Cincinnati two weeks earlier, Djokovic lost in the first round and attributed that defeat to health complications, noting that heat and humidity aggravate the condition. Sunday's match was played mostly under Arthur Ashe's closed roof due to rainfall.
Djokovic's 2026 has been marked by early exits at major tournaments. Per Front Office Sports, he reached the Australian Open final in January after upsetting Jannik Sinner in the semifinals, but lost to Carlos Alcaraz in four sets. He made the Wimbledon semifinals and exited the French Open in the round of 32. At Wimbledon last month, he said he hopes to play the event "at least one more time."
Venus Williams, 46, suffered a straight-set loss to Sofia Kenin on the same day. According to Front Office Sports, the defeat extended her singles losing streak to 15 consecutive matches since her return last July, when she defeated Peyton Stearns at the DC Open. Williams was the oldest player to win a match in more than two decades at that time. Her match against Kenin began at 12:13 a.m., the latest start time for any match in US Open history, per the reporting.
Williams received a doubles wild card alongside her sister Serena for the tournament. The two are two-time US Open women's doubles champions, and the doubles draw is set to begin Thursday, September 5, 2026.
Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion and four-time US Open winner, fell to a player ranked No. 49 in the first round, citing health struggles that have plagued him throughout 2026.
The nature of Djokovic's recurring health condition remains undisclosed; his next competitive appearance and whether he will play another Grand Slam are unanswered. Williams and Serena will compete together in doubles starting September 5, offering a different stage to measure her current form.
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