With the U.S. Open underway, tennis’ biggest stars face off in New York City to hoist the silver trophy and vie to take home a multimillion-dollar payout. Among them was longtime legend Novak Djokovic, who played the first round of the tournament this past Sunday night but lost in a crushing upset to Argentine player Mariano Navone after nearly five hours of exhausting gameplay. Though he lost out on a shot at breaking the record for most Grand Slam titles ever (of which he owns), the tennis icon is still walking away with plenty of prize money on and off the court.
The Serbian star—who currently holds the men’s all-time record with 24 Grand Slam singles titles, and remains tied with Margaret Court for most titles in tennis history—lost his streak of 78 first-round wins at Grand Slam tournaments. After he lost in five grueling sets against Navone that went on until nearly midnight, Djokovic was seen limping and cramping on the court, throwing up at least once as he continues grappling with various years-long physical ailments. That night, the 39-year-old said that his body started to “collapse” from the severity of health issues, with his back and shoulder giving out towards the end of the match. Meanwhile, young-and-scrappy Navone—a 25-year-old unseeded underdog—was able to clinch the win after an intense battle against one of the sport’s most decorated champions.
