Argentine Navone shocks Djokovic at US Open, calls Serb GOAT after five-set win

Mariano Navone, 25-year-old Argentinian tennis player, defeated 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic in the US Open first round on Sunday, August 30, 2026, winning 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 in a match that lasted four hours and 36 minutes. In his post-match press conference, Navone acknowledged Djokovic's late-match struggles, saying, “I saw him in the fifth set with a little injury, also in the fourth set with some tired moments. But this is Novak, the GOAT. He always found the key to beating someone.”

This upset marks Navone’s first victory over Djokovic and highlights the Serbian’s vulnerability despite his record-tying 24 Grand Slam titles. For tennis fans in Nigeria and across Africa, the result underscores that even the sport’s most dominant figures can be beaten, potentially inspiring emerging players to pursue Grand Slam ambitions. The match also sets up intrigue for Djokovic’s remaining US Open campaign and raises questions about his physical readiness late in the season.

Will Navone’s breakthrough motivate more African athletes to invest in tennis training and compete at the highest level, or will Djokovic rebound to reclaim his dominance in the coming weeks?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/08/31/us-open-what-mariano-navone-said-after-beating-novak-djokovic/