Novak Djokovic said he "despised" every moment of the five-set, near five-hour ordeal which ended his US Open hopes in the first round, so now the question is whether he calls time on his trophy-laden career. The 24-time Grand Slam champion was knocked out in the first round of the US Open for the first time, beaten by Mariano Navone of Argentina. Djokovic was 19-0 in the US Open first round and hadn't lost his opening match in any major since Paul Goldstein beat him at the Australian Open in 2006.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player The 39-year-old also admitted the underlying health issue he first revealed two weeks ago was "serious", although he remains intent on getting the problem fixed. Djokovic looked physically spent, was repeatedly sick and regularly doubled over in pain. He held back tears at one point but managed a gracious smile as he congratulated world No 49 Navone on the biggest win of his career.
He has previously revealed that he plans to retire at the LA Olympics in 2028, draped in the flag of Serbia for one last time. Former Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli said: "It was so sad to watch. To see him suffer that much was heart-breaking.
"The way he was physically suffering is worrying. His health should come first, so he needs to have proper medical checks to see what happens." Former British No 1 Tim Henman admitted defeat for Djokovic "was a tough watch" but does not think he should retire. "Djokovic wasn't feeling well out on court.
He gave it his absolute all to find a way through the match. When he was up two sets to one with a break in the fourth, you thought he could," said the former US Open semi-finalist. "But he was vomiting on the court and didn't have the energy.
Navone kept on fighting and, with youth on his side, he ran away with the fourth and fifth set." On the idea of retirement, Henman said: "Absolutely not. It's his decision, it's his prerogative. If every person who was fifth best in the world at their occupation retired, there wouldn't be many people working.
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