Ailing Novak Djokovic suffered his earliest Grand Slam exit in 20 years on Sunday, falling in five brutal sets to Mariano Navone in the first round of the US Open.

The 48th-ranked Argentine’s 7-6 (7/5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 victory ended Djokovic’s latest bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title, the monumental achievement looking ever less likely for the 39-year-old.

It also ended his run of 78 Grand Slam first-round victories, a streak stretching all the way back to Djokovic’s 2006 loss to Paul Goldstein at the 2006 Australian Open.

“I think it was obvious that it was an awful feeling on the court for me,” said Djokovic, who vomited several times and battled late-match cramps.

“It’s something that I’ve been carrying, unfortunately, pretty much every match this year. Vomiting, throwing up, a serious issue there. Then my whole body starts to collapse, basically cramping and pain.

“The back just gave up in the end and shoulder, I couldn’t close it out.”

Djokovic, who took medication during the match, appeared to have finally taken control when he broke Navone for a 2-1 lead in the fourth set with a vintage backhand winner down the line.

But Navone won the next five games, raising his arms in celebration after fighting off two break points for a 5-2 lead and breaking Djokovic again to force the fifth.

Djokovic took a medical timeout before the final set, receiving a massage on his spine and more medication.

But Navone jumped to a 3-0 lead in the decisive set, and despite the urging of fans, there was no road back for the Serb as his opponent dropped just one point on his own serve as he sprinted to the finish line.

Djokovic, a four-time US Open champion, had never lost before the third round in Flushing Meadows, but he’d shown signs of frailty in his only tune-up, struggling physically in losing his opening match in Cincinnati.

Even as he grabbed a 4-1 lead in the first set, Djokovic was clearly not himself. Every rally left him gasping, and he finally surrendered the set with a dismal forehand into the net.

In a tense second set, Djokovic missed break chances in the third and fifth games before breaking Navone at love for a 6-5 lead and holding at love to level the match at one set apiece.

The third set was more of the same, Djokovic seizing the crucial break in the ninth game and fending off a break point in the next for a two-set-to-one lead.

That put paid to any thought he’d had of retiring.

“I have, I have,” he said when asked if he’d thought of throwing in the towel. “But then I won a set and then the third. I didn’t want to give up.”

Determination wasn’t enough. He was 2-1 up in the fourth set when the cramps struck and lost eight games in a row.

– Pegula, Medvedev advance –

Djokovic departed to cheers nearly 12 hours after world number three Jessica Pegula conquered her first-round nerves to dispatch Elena-Gabriela Ruse 6-3, 6-2.

Pegula broke Romania’s Ruse twice in each set, but it was less straightforward than the score indicated as the 32-year-old veteran felt the weight of opening the action on the cavernous Arthur Ashe Stadium.

“Oh yeah, I was so nervous today, always the first round of a slam,” said Pegula, who has won two titles this year and reached three other finals.

Her consistent high level means she could capture not only a first Grand Slam title but also the world number one ranking.

Seventh-seeded former champion Daniil Medvedev also advanced with a serene 6-4, 6-2, 6-4 victory over France’s Hugo Gaston.

It was a far cry from Medvedev’s meltdown in a first-round loss last year and a heartening performance in another year of mixed results for the Russian.

“I felt like I did everything I wanted to do well,” he said.

But there was plenty of drama elsewhere.

Dino Prizmic saved two match points in a 2-6, 6-3, 6-3, 5-7, 7-5 victory over Aleksandr Shevchenko.

And Spaniard Jaume Munar needed nearly five hours to secure a 6-7 (5/7), 3-6, 6-1, 7-6 (7/4), 7-5 victory over Frenchman Terence Atmane.

AFP

Source: punchng.com

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Liam Delap has completed a club-record £50m transfer from Chelsea to Nottingham Forest, signing a five-year contract at the City Ground.

The 23-year-old striker joins Forest after just one season at Stamford Bridge, where he scored only one Premier League goal.

Delap is hoping the move will revive his career and help him rediscover the form he showed during his breakthrough Premier League season with Ipswich in 2024-25.

He scored 12 league goals for Ipswich that campaign, despite playing for a side that won just four games and was relegated.

His performances attracted Chelsea, who signed him for around £30m. A year later, Chelsea have reportedly made a £20m profit by selling him to Forest for £50m.

Delap’s physical strength, pace and ability to carry the ball were among the qualities that made him so effective at Ipswich. He recorded 26 shot-ending carries that season — the most by any Premier League striker.

Now at Forest, Delap will work under manager Oliver Glasner, who he believes can help him take the next step in his development.

As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, reacting to the transfer, Delap was quoted as saying, “This is a massive club with a big history.

“I spoke to the manager and I like his way. I think he can be the one to really help me develop and make that next step.”

Forest will hope Delap can reproduce the form that made him one of the Premier League’s most promising young strikers and justify the club-record investment.

Source: punchng.com

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Ex-Man United midfielder Ander Herrera says returning to his boyhood club Real Zaragoza and playing for free is a dream come true as he looks to help the Spanish side rebuild their fortunes.

The 37-year-old midfielder has returned to Zaragoza after 15 years away, joining on a free transfer from Boca Juniors.

Herrera began his professional career at Zaragoza before going on to play for Athletic Club, Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Boca Juniors.

Despite enjoying a successful career that included the Europa League, FA Cup and several league titles, Herrera says coming home is one of the most meaningful moves he has ever made.

“This is probably the last dream that I wanted to make come true,” Herrera told BBC Sport on Thursday.

“To come back home, to the place where I grew up, that allowed me to be professional – not only in football, also as a human being.”

Zaragoza are currently going through one of the most difficult periods in their history. The club were relegated from La Liga in 2013 and, after years of struggling in the second division, have now fallen into Spain’s third tier.

Herrera admits it has been painful to watch the club’s decline but says he wants to concentrate on helping them move forward.

“It has been so sad, of course, for all us Zaragozistas,” he said.

“Real Zaragoza belong to Europe, they belong to compete for trophies, to be fighting with the biggest clubs in Spain and in Europe.”

“I want to put my quality, my experience and my passion to try to help my team to come back where I think we belong.”

The midfielder has also decided to donate his salary to the Real Zaragoza Foundation rather than take a wage from the club.

“I don’t need a contract. I have a very successful career. I have taken care of my money,” Herrera said.

“I can give this present to myself. To put that shirt on… for free because I wanted to help my club, my team, my city.”

Herrera said the decision was motivated by his deep connection with Zaragoza and his desire to give something back to the club that helped shape him.

“It’s something that I wanted to do. It’s something that I can do and it’s something that makes me feel so proud to be able to be here just to help.”

“I’m not thinking about money or contracts. I feel privileged to be able to do that.”

Herrera was a passionate Zaragoza supporter before becoming a first-team player. His father, Pedro, also played for the club and later served as its general manager.

The midfielder’s earliest football memories include watching Zaragoza defeat Arsenal in the 1995 Cup Winners’ Cup final — a competition he later won himself during his career.

Now he hopes his experience can help Zaragoza return to the level he believes the club deserves.

Rather than looking back at the years of decline, Herrera wants the club to focus on rebuilding.

“Since the first day I came, I don’t want to talk too much about the past,” he said.

“We have been talking too much about what we have done wrong.”

“Let’s stop crying about what happened in the past. Let’s build on the future. Let’s come every day to training with a smile.”

For Herrera, returning to Zaragoza is about more than ending his playing career. It is an opportunity to repay the club that gave him his first chance and helps restore its place in Spanish football.

“In Spain, we say closing the circle,” he said.

Source: punchng.com

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