Novak Djokovic’s first-round defeat at the 2026 US Open may have ended his campaign earlier than expected, but the match produced several significant 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 man in men’s singles to reach the landmark. He joined Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and Feliciano Lopez in the exclusive group.
Records broken and made during this historic night
While Djokovic added another longevity record, his defeat to Navone brought one of his most remarkable Grand Slam streaks to an end. 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 had lasted nearly two decades.The four-hour, 36-minute battle also became the longest first-round match in a major tournament in Djokovic’s professional career.For Navone, the victory was the biggest of his career.For Djokovic, it was a night of contrasting milestones, his 20th US Open appearance ended with his earliest exit from the tournament and the loss of one of his longest-standing Grand Slam streaks.
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