Very Emotional and Heartbreaking — Novak Djokovic Reveals a “Serious Issue” as the Serb Breaks His Silence on a Major US Open Upset
Novak Djokovic admitted to having a “serious issue” with vomiting during matches after his US Open defeat at the hands of Mariano Navone. The veteran Serb was dumped out in a huge early shock as he slipped to a crushing 7-6 5-7 4-6 6-2 6-1 loss. He struggled throughout the contest, vomiting several times and breaking down in tears at one point.
Djokovic was also forced to deal with cramps as the match progressed, allowing Navone to take full control of the final two sets. The result marked Djokovic’s earliest Grand Slam exit in two decades and will see him slip outside the world’s top 10 when the ATP rankings are updated.
Speaking afterwards, the 39-year-old revealed that he felt poorly throughout the match and said that his vomiting was a “serious issue”.
I didn’t enjoy myself, I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me,” he said. “It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year: vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there.
“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.
“When it comes to the match itself and overall feeling of how I felt with my body and playing, it was really not enjoyable. I pretty much despised every moment that I spent on the court for that.”
In the last 12 months, Djokovic has vomited during matches at Indian Wells, the Shanghai Masters and the Cincinnati Open.
He also hinted at his future after losing to Navone, suggesting that he didn’t know whether he would be able to continue for much longer.
“I don’t know how I can solve it,” he added. “At the moment, I don’t want to go into too much detail. I’m just trying to understand what’s going on and how much longer I can keep going like this.”
Asked if he considered giving up during the match, Djokovic replied: “Yes, I did, but then I won one set and then another.
“At that point, I said to myself: ‘OK, maybe there is a chance.’ I didn’t want to give up in the fourth or fifth set. I wanted to finish the match.”
