Novak Djokovic is the undisputed king of Grand Slam tennis, with 24 major titles to his name, including four US Open crowns. However, he is no longer a bankable option in the early rounds of Grand Slams, with his level having dropped significantly in recent months and his fitness no longer at the standard that once made him so dominant.
As a result, backing his opponent to win a set has become the more appealing approach, particularly with Djokovic having dropped at least one set in almost every match he has played this year.
Navone Chases His Second US Open Main-Draw Win
- Mariano Navone has a 1–1 record in opening-round matches at the US Open.
- He has a 1–6 career record against Top 10 players.
- Novak Djokovic has not suffered an opening-round loss at a Grand Slam since 2006.
- He has lost five of his last seven matches against Top 50 players.
HTH
This will be their first meeting.
Mariano Navone Brings Mixed Form to New York
Mariano Navone started the North American swing with a third-round appearance in Montreal but failed to build on that result in the following weeks, losing in the second round in Cincinnati and suffering an opening-round defeat in Winston-Salem.
The Argentine struggled for wins during the first two months of the season but has produced some notable results in recent months, including winning the title in Bucharest, reaching the final in Geneva, the third round in Rome and Montreal, and the quarterfinals in Kitzbuhel.
This is his third main-draw appearance at the US Open, and he has cleared the opening-round hurdle only once, reaching the second round in 2024.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Argentina |
| Age | Born 27 February 2001 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 48 |
| Career High | No. 29 (10 June 2024) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 40 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 1 |
Novak Djokovic Looks to Overcome Recent Fitness Concerns
Novak Djokovic has been dealing with fitness issues, and his level has dropped significantly in recent months, making it difficult for him to consistently produce his best tennis. Most recently, he suffered an opening-round loss in Cincinnati a few weeks ago against Thiago Agustin Tirante.
The Serbian has played only six events this year and suffered opening-round exits in two of them. His notable results include reaching the final at the Australian Open and the semifinals at Wimbledon.
This is his 20th appearance at the US Open, and he has never suffered an opening-round defeat here. He has notably reached the final on 10 occasions and converted four of those runs into titles.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Country | Serbia |
| Age | Born 22 May 1987 |
| Plays | Right-handed |
| World Ranking | No. 5 |
| Career High | No. 1 (04 July 2011) |
| Elo Ranking | No. 4 |
| Tour-Level Titles | 101 |