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Henin reflects on Djokovic’s physical setback after US Open departure
Henin questions Djokovic’s next step after his painful first-round US Open exit in 2026.
Justine Henin has raised questions about Novak Djokovic’s state of mind after his early exit at the 2026 US Open, suggesting the 24-time major winner may be confronting a difficult new reality.
Djokovic’s tournament ended in a first-round shock, as he fell 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 to world No 49 Mariano Navone. The loss was not only unexpected, but also visibly draining, with the 39-year-old Serbian revealing that he is dealing with an unspecified physical issue. He was blunt about how the match felt from his side, saying he “despised” being on court.
“When it comes to match itself and the overall feeling of how I felt with my body and playing, it was really not enjoyable,” said the 39-year-old Serb.
“I pretty much despised every moment that I spent on the court for that.”
Henin, speaking to Eurosport and HBO Max, said Djokovic’s reaction and future outlook will likely be shaped by how he processes a defeat that cut unusually deep. She noted that he has long had the resources to respond to setbacks, but that the balance may be changing as results become harder to sustain at the top end.
“For sure, there are so many questions coming into Novak Djokovic’s head because he always had the resources in the past to deal with what he went through,” said the Belgian.
“But he has also talked in the past two years about the fact that he is not winning as much in the past; not winning Grand Slams anymore.
“He still plays for the majors. He still plays to make the history of the game in another way. He wants also to keep enjoying what he does, but can you really can enjoy the game not being able to compete at the highest level?
“He was still at a very high level for a long time. He didn’t lose the first round in the Grand Slam for 20 years. Will it change the way he can see things? It will depend also on how he physically he can react in the next few weeks, in the next few months.
“But probably it’s a process, a process that we don’t have access to think about his future — to accept that maybe the best is behind him and that there is another life also in the future.”
Henin also said the timing of Djokovic’s next steps must be left to him, while acknowledging how difficult it is to watch champions near the end of a long run.
“It will be his timing. He cannot answer and we all have to accept it because it’s a process that is his own one. I don’t have the answer,” Henin continued.
“These champions, we always want to imagine in one way or another that they will live forever. They will remain legends, for sure, forever. We still want them to find some resources.
“It was hard with Roger [Federer]. It was also very hard with Rafa [Nadal], and it will be hard also in another way with Novak. So today, I’m a little bit more concerned than I was a few months ago.
“But in another way, there is nothing dramatic, no matter what he chooses in the next few months. I think tennis has a future and he will be a big part of the history of the game.
“It was a case of him trying to surpass himself one more time, getting these emotions also he’s looking for this with the crowd also.
“I think he wants to keep living this kind of emotions, but maybe with more joy in the future, so we will see.”
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WTA’s leading left-handers: seven names shaping the current rankings
Seven left-handed WTA players stand out in the latest rankings, led by Diana Shnaider.
Left-handers remain a notable presence in the WTA top 200, with eight in the top 100 and another 16 sitting between 101 and 200. That means 12% of the top 200 players on the women’s tour play left-handed, and Alex Eala is among the four ranked inside the top 30.
Based on the latest WTA Rankings from Monday 31 August, here is a look at the seven highest-ranked left-handed players in women’s tennis.
At No 7 is Oksana Selekhmeteva, who is ranked 93rd and owns a career-best mark of 71st, reached in March 2026. The 23-year-old changed nationality from Russian to Spanish earlier this year and has claimed two WTA 125 titles.
No 6 is Wang Xiyu, currently 80th in the rankings. The Chinese player reached a career-high of 49th in January 2023 and has one WTA Tour title, won in Guangzhou in 2023.
Leylah Fernandez holds the No 5 spot on this list. She is 33rd in the world, 20 places off her best ranking of 13th from August 2022. The Canadian has won five WTA Tour titles, including one at 500 level and four at 250 level, and was runner-up at the 2021 US Open.
Sara Bejlek is ranked 30th and sits just one place from her career-best of 29th, achieved last month. The 20-year-old Czech has one title, taken at the WTA 500 event in Abu Dhabi in February.
Maja Chwalinska is No 3 among the left-handers, placed 23rd and one spot shy of her peak of 22nd from June this year. The 24-year-old Pole has not yet won a main-tour title, but she has three 125/Challenger titles and reached her only tour-level final at the 2026 French Open as a qualifier.
Alex Eala comes in at No 2. She is at a career-high world No 18 after a strong run before the 2026 US Open. The 21-year-old won her only title so far in Washington DC last month and reached the fourth round at the 2026 Wimbledon Championships.
Diana Shnaider tops the group as the highest-ranked left-hander in the women’s game. The world No 16 reached a career-best No 11 in May 2025, has five WTA Tour titles, and made her best Grand Slam run by reaching the semi-finals at the 2026 French Open.
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Alcaraz advances, Sabalenka fires back as Day 2 delivers US Open talking points
Alcaraz impressed, Sabalenka pushed back at critics, and Djokovic’s exit dominated US Open Day 2.
Day 2 of the 2026 US Open brought a wide range of headlines, from Carlos Alcaraz’s return to form to sharp post-match remarks from Aryna Sabalenka, plus reactions to Novak Djokovic’s early exit and more notable news across the draw.
Alcaraz marked his first singles match since a right wrist injury in April with a 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 win over Roman Safiullin. Speaking after the match, the world No 3 said his game should continue to improve as he gets more time on court. “The level of tennis has got to be better. I’m happy with the levelled I played in my first official match in four months,” he said. “I’m proud about it. But I need more matches under the belt, get into the rhythm of the tournament. I’m pretty sure I’m going to get better and better after every day.”
Djokovic’s physical collapse in a five-set defeat to Mariano Navone remained a major subject of discussion, and Andy Roddick strongly criticised those urging the 24-time major champion to retire. “I think there’s a difference between wondering if it’ll be his last time, and being a dumbass on Twitter saying, ‘he should retire’,” said the former world No 1. “Shut up. He can make that decision. He’s in on his own entry. He’s made the semis more often than not recently. We don’t get a say in it. Everyone chooses their own path.”
Elsewhere, Alex Eala drew high praise ahead of her first-round match, with Greg Rusedski calling her “by far, in my opinion, the biggest star in our game.” He added, “I can’t wait for that opener. Looking forward to it and looking forward to ‘Eala Mania’ throughout these two weeks of the championships.”
Stefanos Tsitsipas, after beating Arthur Fils, said he already knew about Nick Kyrgios’ positive cocaine test before the announcement. “I don’t know what to tell you. I mean, to be entirely honest with you, I knew about this before the announcement. Myself, I knew about it,” he said. “So what can I tell you? I will just tell you the truth. I knew about all of this before any announcement was made, and when I saw it on social media, I was, like, ‘here we go’. I kind of expected it, to be honest.”
Sabalenka, meanwhile, opened her title defence with a 6-2, 6-4 win over Camila Osorio and took aim at critics. “Honestly, it took me a little while to shut down those noises,” she said. “It’s always going to be people who support your choices, people who go against that, people who love you, who hate you. And I’m like, I’m so tired of those miserable haters.”
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Rusedski tips Alex Eala as the game’s standout star before US Open debut
Rusedski backs Eala as US Open hype builds and a deep run in New York looks possible.
Greg Rusedski has described Alex Eala as tennis’ biggest name right now as she gets ready to begin her 2026 US Open campaign.
The 21-year-old arrives in New York with clear momentum. She ended 2025 ranked 50th and has climbed inside the top 20 ahead of the season’s final Grand Slam. Even with her serve still ranked outside the world’s top 50, the Filipina continues to push into new territory and is seeded 17th at Flushing Meadows.
Eala’s appeal stretches well beyond results. She has built a sizeable following among spectators at her matches and across social media, where anything linked to her draws heavy attention.
Before her Tuesday meeting with American Mary Stoiana, former US Open finalist Rusedski praised the Washington Open champion and said he sees the possibility of a long run in New York, with world No 1 status not out of reach one day.
Speaking on his podcast, he said, “Well, she does. And it was very interesting during the practice sessions, a certain Uncle Tony, Rafael Nadal’s uncle, showed up on the practice courts with her, saw the team out there.
“And whenever she’s going to practice, the noise for her practice sessions is unbelievable. I think she’ll be pretty comfortable in her opening round. I think something like 6-3 6-3.
“I think she’s got a draw which is difficult but I think she’ll find a way into the fourth round against [Coco] Gauff. I think she has a real shot to win that one if she gets there as well. So I have nothing but respect for her.
“I think she’s got a great mentality. She loves the hard courts. This surface is perfect for the way she plays. If she can just keep on improving that service she’s working on, the sky’s the limit for her. She could get to number one.
“She is right now by far, in my opinion, the biggest star in our game. She gets the most hits on social media, the most views. She is just wonderful for our sport. So I can’t wait for that opener. Looking forward to it and looking forward to ‘Eala Mania’ throughout these two weeks of the championships.”
If she gets past Stoiana, Eala could next meet another American in Reese Brantmeier, though Oleksandra Oliynykova may yet alter that path. A possible third-round match with Iva Jovic would be notable, especially with the teenager having won both previous meetings in straight sets. Gauff could then await in round four, although Eala has only reached that stage of a Grand Slam once before, at Wimbledon this year.
Her popularity has also been reflected in ticket demand. According to Front Office Sports, prices for her opener have risen sharply, with Tuesday’s night session set to feature Eala and the get-in price climbing as interest has grown. Whether that pull translates into results on court will become clearer this week.
WTA’s leading left-handers: seven names shaping the current rankings
Alcaraz makes smooth US Open return with straight-sets win
Djokovic’s early US Open exit leaves Wawrinka reflecting on a familiar rivalry
Alcaraz Confronts On‑court Microphones During US Open Practice Ahead of Opelka Match
Raducanu Arrives at US Open With Momentum After Strong Hard‑Court Swing
