By admin 
The final Grand Slam of the year is delivering drama early. The 2026 US Open kicked off on August 30 in Flushing Meadows, and the first week has already produced one of the biggest shocks of Novak Djokovic’s career.
The headline upset
Djokovic, the No. 4 seed, fell to Argentina’s Mariano Navone in a five-set marathon, 7-6, 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. Navone capitalized as Djokovic visibly wore down physically in the closing sets, battling cramps and evident discomfort. It marks Djokovic’s first opening-round loss at a major since 2006 and his earliest-ever exit at the US Open — a stunning line in a résumé that rarely includes results like this.
He wasn’t the only seed to go home early. Barbora Krejcikova, Cameron Norrie, Arthur Fils, and Matteo Arnaldi all lost in the first round, and rain delays across the outdoor courts backed up the schedule and forced several matches to spill into extra days.
The favorites are taking care of business
Outside of those upsets, though, the tournament has largely gone to form. Carlos Alcaraz, the defending men’s champion, cruised through his opening matches despite an injury-hampered lead-up to the tournament. On the women’s side, two-time defending champion Aryna Sabalenka looked sharp in dispatching Camila Osorio, and she’s been joined in the second week by Elena Rybakina, Coco Gauff, Mirra Andreeva, Iga Swiatek, and Naomi Osaka — a murderers’ row of contenders all still alive.
The men’s draw is notably wide open with world No. 1 Jannik Sinner sidelined by a knee injury, leaving a gap at the top that Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev, and Taylor Fritz are all favored to exploit.
What’s next
With a record $108 million in total prize money on the line this year, the round of 16 lands September 6–7, semifinals run September 10–11, and the men’s and women’s finals close out the tournament on September 12 and 13. After a chaotic first week, the back half of this tournament has a real chance to be one of the more unpredictable US Opens in recent memory.
Which storyline are you following most closely — Djokovic’s exit or the wide-open men’s field? Drop your predictions in the comments.