What to Know About Novak Djokovic’s Health After His Surprise Defeat at the US Open

Novak Djokovic at the 2026 French Open
Credit: Matthew Stockman/GettyNEED TO KNOW

• Novak Djokovic is dealing with an ongoing health issue
• The Serbian tennis star lost in the first round of the US Open after facing various physical ailments
• After the match, he told reporters that his health has been a factor in “pretty much every match this year”

Novak Djokovic is dealing with an ongoing health issue.

The veteran tennis star, who has won a record 24 Grand Slam singles titles, lost in the first round of the 2026 US Open on Aug. 30. He faced various physical ailments throughout the five-set match, which lasted 4 hours, 36 minutes.

“I didn’t enjoy myself,” Djokovic told reporters following his surprise loss to Argentina’s Mariano Navone, per ESPN. “I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me.”

Djokovic’s early exit from the US Open came after his loss two weeks prior at the 2026 Cincinnati Open, where he faced similar health issues in his second round match against another Argentine, Thiago Agustín Tirante.

“Honestly, it hasn’t been a pleasant match for me,” Djokovic said at the time, perForbes. “That’s how I’ve felt. It hasn’t been the first time, and it won’t be the last. That’s just how it is.”

Though the 39-year-old has not shared an official diagnosis with fans, he been open about his symptoms in recent months.

Ahead, here’s everything to know about Djokovic’s health issue and how it has impacted his performance on the tennis court.

Djokovic has been dealing with an unspecified health issue “for many years”Novak Djokovic at the 2026 Cincinnati Open
Credit: Scott Stuart/ZUMA Press Wire/Shutterstock

Following his defeat at the Cincinnati Open on Aug. 15, Djokovic explained that he had been dealing with “a health issue” for “many years now,” per Forbes.

“It causes me a lot of problems, especially when there’s a lot of humidity and heat,” he told reporters after the match. “I did anticipate it [would be humid], but there are all these things, like nerves and everything involved that make it worse, and that’s what happened.”

The symptoms include vomiting and physical exhaustion

Djokovic’s health issue manifests in various physical symptoms, including vomiting and physical exhaustion. The athlete elaborated on his symptoms after his loss at the US Open on Aug. 30.

“It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year: vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there,” he said, per ESPN. “Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain. Yeah, the back just gave up in the end, and shoulder, and I couldn’t close it out.”

Djokovic added that he was “trying to address really what’s going on and how far I can go this way.”

He had to take a medical timeout at the 2026 Cincinnati OpenNovak Djokovic at the 2026 Cincinnati Open
Credit: Emilee Chinn/Getty

Djokovic’s struggles at the Cincinnati Open culminated in him dropping to his hands and knees and calling for a medical timeout during the second set in his match against Tirante.

Videos shared on social media show Djokovic falling down and appearing to vomit into a towel. Afterwards, he sat down on a bench, took his shirt off and put an ice pack to his head as a physio and a doctor tended to him.

Djokovic also hinted at a possible retirement when he told reporters, “it seems more likely that I won’t be back next year,” per Forbes.

“But let’s see what the future holds, I hope I do, ” he added.

He lost in the first round of the 2026 US OpenNovak Djokovic at the 2026 US Open
Credit: Julian Finney/Getty

Two weeks after his defeat at the Cincinnati Open, Djokovic faced off against Navone in the first round of the US Open. The resulting marathon match, which lasted over four hours, was the longest opener of a Grand Slam in the Serbian tennis star’s career and his earliest elimination in one in two decades.

During the match, Djokovic threw up at least once and later appeared to suffer a cramp when he grabbed his left foot. He reportedly swallowed pills given to him by a doctor and had a back massage during a medical timeout between the fourth and fifth sets, according to ESPN.

“Just struggled all the way since the fourth game of the match,” Djokovic said after the match ended, per the network. “When it comes to match itself and overall feeling of how I felt with body and playing, it was really not enjoyable. I pretty much despised every moment that I spent on the court for that.”

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