Who is Mariano Navone? 25-year-old becomes first to defeat Novak Djokovic in Round 1 of a Grand Slam since 2006

Mariano Navone etched his name into history books after the 25-year-old upset 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the first round of the ongoing US Open 2026 at the Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday. It was the first time Djokovic lost a first-round match at any Grand Slam in the last 20 years and third overall since making his debut in 2005.

Ranked 49th in the ATP Rankings, the Argentine Navone's 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory ended Djokovic's latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title. It also ended his run of 78 Grand Slam first-round victories. The last time Djokovic lost a first-round match at a Grand Slam was to Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open.

Djokovic vomited on court and struggled with late-match cramps but appeared to have finally taken control when he broke Navone for a 2-1 lead in the fourth set with a vintage backhand winner down the line. But Navone won the next five games, raising his arms in celebration after fighting off two break points for a 5-2 lead and breaking Djokovic again to force the fifth set.

Djokovic took a medical timeout before the final set, receiving a massage on his spine and another delivery of medication. But Navone jumped to a 3-0 lead in the decisive set, and despite the urging of fans, there was no road back for the Serb as his opponent dropped just one point on his own serve as he sprinted to the finish line.

All you need to know about Mariano Navone

Born in 2001 in Nueve de Julio, Buenos Aires, Navone was born to parents Luis Navone and Analía Vizzón, and has two sisters, Lucía and Pilar. He started playing tennis at the age of three, honing his skills at the Escuela de Tenis del Club Atlético Nueve de Julio during his initial days.

Having made his professional debut in 2021, Navone made a name for himself by making it to the top 125 in the world after winning five ATP Challenger singles titles in 2023. A year later, Navone became the first player in Grand Slam history to make his debut as a seeded (31st) player in a main draw of a Grand Slam at the 2024 French Open.

His first win at a Grand Slam came at the 2024 US Open, when Navone beat Daniel Altmaier in four sets. His best run prior to the 2026 US Open came at the Roland Garros in 2025, when he defeated Rinky Hijikata and Riley Opelka to cruise to the third round. He crashed out after losing to Lorenzo Musetti

Among his big wins is also a first-round upset victory against 27th seed Denis Shapovalov, whom Navone defeated in four sets at the 2025 Wimbledon, before bowing out to a straight-set defeat to Pedro Martinez.

Novak Djokovic's first round losses at Grand Slam

In the second round, Navone will be up against either Italian Matteo Berrettini or wildcard entrant Stan Wawrinka of Switzerland.