Greg Rusedski has urged observers not to rule out Novak Djokovic after the Serbian endured his earliest Grand Slam departure in two decades.

The 39-year-old was beaten in five sets by Mariano Navone on Sunday, a match that left him visibly distressed on Arthur Ashe Stadium as he fought back tears and vomited into a bin while his body seemed to give way.

Djokovic entered the US Open among the leading contenders for the title. With world No 1 Jannik Sinner sidelined by injury and Carlos Alcaraz only just returning from a wrist issue, the 24-time major winner had strong reason to believe the draw could open up for him. Instead, the Argentine held firm to win 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 4-6 6-2 6-1.

Afterward, Djokovic gave a sobering account of the physical problems he has been managing. “I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling for me on the court,” said the fourth seed. “It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year: vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there.

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“Then my whole body starts to collapse, cramping and pain. The back just gave up in the end, and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.”

Djokovic added, “ I don’t know [how I can solve the problem]. I don’t want to go into too much detail right now. I’m just trying to understand what’s going on and how much longer I can keep going like this.”

Rusedski pointed to Djokovic’s run to the Australian Open final, where he beat Sinner, and his place in the Wimbledon semi-finals as reasons for restraint. Speaking on Off Court, he argued that two straight defeats, in Cincinnati and at the US Open, should not define the bigger picture.

He said on Off Court, “Well, we’ve only seen the deterioration really this US Open and in Cincinnati. Wimbledon, we didn’t see anything. He still made the semis. In the heat in Australia, he made the finals.

“So you’re talking about this deterioration. It’s all relative, isn’t it? It’s only been the last few weeks since Wimbledon. Most people’s careers would have been set up for life. Finals of Australia, semis of Wimbledon. That’s a pretty good season for most human beings. So let’s not write him off quite yet.

“And if the body still allows him to do what he needs out there, let’s keep him in the game as long as, as long as he can be there. So that’s the balance. Will he physically be able to sustain and will he be satisfied going out earlier at the very biggest events in the world? This is a little bit of a shock.

“It’s a bad draw for him as well, the opening round. We talked about it in the lead up to the US Open saying he was in a tough section and we all knew he had a difficult opener, especially having had no form from Cincinnati and losing early.”

Rusedski also suggested that Djokovic’s reduced schedule may be part of the issue. At the same time, he noted that the depth across the game has become far more demanding, especially from the first round onward.

“I think the issue is, two out of three sets, no problem. But if you look at his preparation, he’s not being able to get enough matches. And you know, when [Roger] Federer was at his peak, he played 12 tournaments a year, but he’d win seven of those tournaments. Novak nowadays, the depth is a lot stronger,” he said.

“So if you look like from say three to 20, it’s probably slightly weaker, but then you go from 10 to 100 and the depth is brutal. So from the first round, you’ve got to show up. If you’re not at your best from the beginning, it makes life much more difficult.

“The question for me is, if he plays more two out of three set tournaments, that’s going to get him great preparation for the slams. So it’s a chicken and egg. Will the body allow him to play those matches and those tournaments?

“So let’s see if he can get it back. And as he said, if he plays two or three set matches, there’s still tournaments he can win and he can still win more events. And he still loves the love he’s getting from the fans.”

The final Grand Slam of 2026 has started with plenty to talk about, even before the main draw settled into rhythm. Roger Federer’s return to Flushing Meadows for an exhibition alongside Andy Roddick, John McEnroe and Andre Agassi added early theatre, while Karolina Muchova and Jakub Mensik captured the US Open mixed doubles title. Carlos Alcaraz also featured in the event, partnering Serena Williams.

Away from the celebratory moments, Stan Wawrinka’s entry into the tournament became a concern after he initially missed out on a wildcard, only to receive one later following an injury withdrawal. That sequence raised questions that could not be brushed aside.

The biggest on-court headline, though, came from Novak Djokovic’s surprise first-round defeat. Mariano Navone pushed through in five sets to hand the 39-year-old his first opening-round major exit since 2006. Djokovic was visibly shaken and later described the physical problems he has been battling. He said, “ It’s something that I have been carrying pretty much every match this year – vomiting, throwing up. And then my whole body starts to collapse basically, cramping and pain – the back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.”

Asked whether he had learned more about the issue, he added: “I don’t know [how I can solve the problem]. I don’t want to go into too much detail right now. I’m just trying to understand what’s going on and how much longer I can keep going like this.”

Alex Eala also continued to dominate the conversation. The 21-year-old has surged into the top 20 and drawn huge attention, with Andy Roddick saying she is “creating a movement”. Annabel Croft went further, saying Eala is building an “aura” that makes opponents take notice.

John McEnroe then faced criticism after his remarks following Navone’s win were judged by many to be disrespectful.

Elsewhere, Jessica Pegula advanced, Daniil Medvedev won comfortably, Luca Van Assche beat Cameron Norrie, Barbora Krejcikova lost, and Venus Williams fell to Sofia Kenin as rain interrupted several matches.

John McEnroe has faced heavy criticism after his reaction to Mariano Navone’s surprise win over Novak Djokovic at the US Open appeared dismissive to many viewers.

Djokovic, a 24-time Grand Slam champion, was overcome during his five-set defeat on Arthur Ashe Stadium on Sunday, breaking down in tears and vomiting into a bin as the match slipped away. The fourth seed suffered his first opening-round loss at Flushing Meadows, and it marked the first time he had exited in the opening round of a Grand Slam since 2006.

After losing 7-6 (7-5) 5-7 4-6 6-2 6-1, Djokovic said, “I think it was obvious that that it was an awful feeling on the court for me. I don’t want to take too much out of Mariano’s win. Congrats to him, he’s a nice guy and a fighter – but I didn’t enjoy myself.

“It’s something that I have been carrying pretty much every match this year – vomiting, throwing up. And then my whole body starts to collapse basically, cramping and pain – the back just gave up in the end and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.”

The discussion soon shifted to McEnroe, whose remarks after Navone’s breakthrough drew a strong backlash on social media. Rather than focusing on the Argentine’s biggest career victory, the seven-time major winner noted that Navone would be heading to Court 21 in the next round, where he will meet Stan Wawrinka or Matteo Berrettini.

“You’ll be playing your second round on Court 21. We wish you the best. And he is going to have to try and play with that effort and intensity but enjoy the moment, young man,” said McEnroe.

That clip was then shared by Awful Announcing, prompting a wave of criticism from tennis fans. One user wrote, “McEnroe’s entire attitude towards Navone was despicable from the jump.” Another said, “Completely disrespectful. The Novak glazing was unbearable.” A further comment read, “John McEnroe is such a loser. Navone earned the biggest win of his life and immediately gets this said about him,” while another argued that world No 42 Navone, who has reached a career high of 29, should have been put on Arthur Ashe for McEnroe’s comments alone.

Others said they were “so f****** tired” of the pundit and former player, and one reaction said it was, “long past time for McEnroe to go away.” Some suggested he was trying to be funny but missed the mark. Incidentally, there isn’t a Court 21 at Flushing Meadows.