US Open: Novak Djokovic Describes His Ordeal: “I Was Throwing Up, I Had Pain Everywhere, and My Shoulder Gave Out”

In the mixed zone at Arthur Ashe Stadium, Novak Djokovic described the ordeal he endured during his first-round loss to Mariano Navone at the U.S. Open

“I think it was obvious that I was feeling terrible on the court,” the Serbian star began. It’s something that, unfortunately, I’ve been dealing with in practically every match this year. Vomiting, retching—a real problem in that regard. Then my whole body starts to give out, with cramps and pain everywhere. In the end, my back gave out, as did my shoulder, and I wasn’t able to finish the match.”

“I was up by a break in the fourth set, but I struggled throughout the entire match starting from the fourth game. But I don’t want to take anything away from his victory. Congratulations to him. He’s a good guy, a fighter. But I really didn’t enjoy it.”

“I thought about retiring, but then I won a set and then the third. So I told myself, ‘All right, maybe there’s still a chance.’ And I didn’t want to retire in the fourth or fifth set—I wanted to see the match through to the end.”

“Obviously, I’m very proud of everything I’ve achieved in the past, but today is today. Right now, I’m just trying to figure out what’s really going on and how far I can go under these conditions.”

A final word on his fans… “Yes, they were fantastic. I’m truly grateful to be able to experience all of this. As for the match and how I felt physically and in terms of my game, it wasn’t pleasant at all. I hated practically every moment I spent on the court. But in terms of the crowd and their support, it was incredible, honestly, right from the start. They tried to give me a boost at key moments, and I’m truly sorry I didn’t play as well as I should have, could have, or wanted to for them. But the affection and appreciation they showed me at the end really touched my heart.”