Novak Djokovic, one of the most accomplished tennis players in history, suffered a surprising first-round defeat at the US Open. He lost to Argentina's Guido Pella in a five-set match that ended 7-6 (7-5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1. This marks the first time Djokovic has been eliminated in the opening round of a Grand Slam tournament since 2006. It also ends a remarkable streak of 78 consecutive wins in first-round Grand Slam matches. Djokovic, who will turn 40 next May, will now fall out of the world’s top 10 rankings for the first time since July 2018. Additionally, the loss ends his perfect 37-0 record in the first two rounds of the US Open. Djokovic had been a dominant force against younger players in recent years. He defeated Jannik Sinner at the Australian Open in January and pushed Carlos Alcaraz to a fourth-set tiebreak in the final before ultimately losing. However, Djokovic has been dealing with a health condition that makes it difficult for him to perform in hot and humid conditions. During his match against Pella, he experienced severe physical distress, including vomiting and cramping. Djokovic described feeling as if "his whole body starts to collapse," highlighting the toll the conditions had on him. Despite this setback, Djokovic recently achieved a career milestone by winning Olympic gold at the Paris 2024 Games, completing the "Golden Slam" by winning all four Grand Slam tournaments and the Olympics in singles. He has been focused on surpassing Margaret Court’s record of 24 major singles titles and has adjusted his schedule to prioritize Grand Slam events. Djokovic has expressed a desire to continue playing until the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, showing no immediate signs of retiring. Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash told BBC Radio 5 Live that Djokovic may struggle to perform well in long, physically demanding five-set matches under hot and humid conditions. However, Djokovic remains confident in his ability to compete at the highest level. His recent loss has raised questions about his ability to maintain his dominance in the sport, but he has not yet addressed the possibility of retirement. The outcome has sparked discussions about how long Djokovic can continue to compete at the elite level.