Novak Djokovic’s Physio Reveals What the Serb Thought About His US Open First-Round Defeat

For a player like Novak Djokovic, only a win at a Major brings satisfaction. But Djokovic has started to accept that he can no longer pull off what he once did because he is in the twilight of his career.

Still, he considers a first-round exit at a Grand Slam a major defeat. At the US Open, the Serb suffered a physical collapse and lost his first-round match to Mariano Navone in five sets.

It was the third time in his career that Djokovic lost in the first round of a Major. Recently, his physiotherapist, Carlos Costa, revealed what Djokovic thought about his disappointment at the New York Major.

Djokovic pushes himself to the limit in every match. For him, not winning the US Open or not going deep in a tournament is a major defeat. He is not used to that, and it is a huge source of frustration. In his mind, he still believes he can win the biggest titles, and the truth is that he reached the Australian Open final and the Wimbledon semifinals.

Carlos Costa said on Diario de um Treinador

Costa, however, also believes Djokovic still has it in him to reach more milestones. The 24-time Grand Slam champion has made it clear he will play the full Grand Slam season in 2027.

At this stage of his career, he usually takes some time off after defeats. He reflects, resets, and when he comes back, he comes back at full intensity.

Carlos Costa added

Djokovic made deep runs in two Majors this season. Earlier this season, he reached the final of the Australian Open and lost the title to Carlos Alcaraz. After losing to Joao Fonseca in the third round of the French Open, the 39-year-old easily lost to eventual champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinal of Wimbledon.

Carlos Costa makes friction admission about Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic demands a lot from his team, and sometimes, this causes friction. During his appearance on Diario de um Treinador, Carlos Costa said he always tries to stay as up to date as possible and learn from other sports. The other members of his team also constantly look for ways to improve because if Djokovic notices his rivals doing something different in the locker rooms, he asks his team why they didn’t incorporate it into his training.

He pays attention to every detail. The amount of time it takes us to give him his towel… if there is something that is not planned, there is friction. He even goes as far as creating tests within the team to find out whether we are really looking for the best recovery strategies and providing the best treatments. For example, he asked us why [Jannik] Sinner does eye training, and we didn’t. He is constantly looking for ways to be the best in the world.

The 39-year-old last won a title at the 2025 Hellenic Championship by beating Lorenzo Musetti. Since then, he has played just one tour-level final (at the Australian Open). So far this season, Djokovic has lost in the first round of events three times.

Djokovic will next be seen in action at the China Open, where he is a six-time champion, winning in 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. He holds a perfect 29-0 win-loss record in the tournament.

Sinner will also be competing. It will be his first tournament since Wimbledon, as a knee injury forced him to skip the US Open. The five-time Grand Slam champion will enter Beijing as the defending champion. Last year, he beat Learner Tien in the final.

Also read: Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz’s Hilarious Conversation About US Open Win Goes Viral: “When You’re Stupid, It Helps”