US Open First-Round Upsets: 8 Seeds Fall

The US Open first-round upsets have already transformed the tournament, with eight seeded players eliminated from the singles draws before the second round. The most dramatic result came at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where fourth seed Novak Djokovic suffered a stunning defeat to Argentina’s Mariano Navone in five sets.

Djokovic’s exit was particularly significant. The 24-time Grand Slam champion had never previously lost his opening-round match at the US Open. His defeat also marked his earliest exit from the tournament and his first opening-round defeat at a Grand Slam since the 2006 Australian Open.

The men’s draw also lost Arthur Fils, Cameron Norrie and Matteo Arnaldi, while the women’s tournament saw Belinda Bencic, Maja Chwalinska, Barbora Krejcikova and Sara Bejlek depart in the opening round.

With several seeded players already gone, the path to the later stages of the 2026 US Open has suddenly become more unpredictable.

US Open First-Round Upsets Start With Djokovic

Novak Djokovic was unquestionably the biggest name among the early casualties.

The fourth seed entered the tournament still chasing a record 25th Grand Slam singles title. Instead, his campaign ended after a four-hour, 36-minute battle against Mariano Navone.

Navone prevailed 7-6(5), 5-7, 4-6, 6-2, 6-1 after Djokovic initially appeared capable of controlling the contest. The Argentine recovered from losing the third set and eventually overwhelmed the Serbian veteran during the final two sets.

The physical dimension of the match was impossible to ignore.

Djokovic struggled with nausea, cramping and pain as the contest progressed. He later acknowledged that he had been dealing with similar problems during matches throughout the season.

The Serbian also committed 70 unforced errors, while Navone continued to defend aggressively and make Djokovic work for every point.

For Navone, the victory was the biggest win of his career.

The 25-year-old entered the match ranked No. 49 and had never previously faced Djokovic. He also grew up primarily playing on clay and only began regularly playing on hard courts in the early 2020s.

That made the result even more remarkable.

Navone had played only a handful of matches at the US Open before this year’s tournament. Suddenly, he became one of the most talked-about players in New York.

Djokovic’s Early Exit Changes the Men’s Draw

Djokovic’s elimination does more than remove a legendary name from the tournament.

It changes the structure of the men’s draw.

The Serbian was positioned as the fourth seed and therefore represented one of the biggest obstacles for players hoping to reach the latter stages. His departure gives other contenders a clearer route through the section of the draw he occupied.

The 2026 men’s field is already unusual because world No. 1 Jannik Sinner is absent. Djokovic’s elimination therefore removes another major contender from a tournament that was expected to feature several of the sport’s biggest names.

Carlos Alcaraz, the second seed and defending champion, remains in the competition, while top seed Alexander Zverev also survived his opening challenge.

Zverev, however, had to work extremely hard to avoid becoming another headline casualty. He eventually defeated Lorenzo Sonego in five sets after being pushed deep into the night.

The result underlines just how dangerous the opening rounds can be.

Arthur Fils Beaten by Tsitsipas

Another major men’s upset involved 10th seed Arthur Fils.

The Frenchman was defeated by Stefanos Tsitsipas in four sets, 4-6, 7-6(3), 6-1, 6-4. The victory was especially important for Tsitsipas, who entered the tournament needing a strong performance after a difficult period.

Fils had been regarded as one of the younger players capable of making a significant impact at Grand Slam level.

Instead, he became one of the first seeded men to leave Flushing Meadows.

Tsitsipas demonstrated his ability to absorb pressure after losing the opening set. Once he took the second-set tiebreak, the momentum shifted decisively.

The Greek player then controlled the third set before closing out the match in four.

For Fils, the result represents another reminder that seeding does not guarantee a comfortable opening week at a Grand Slam.

Cameron Norrie Also Falls

British tennis suffered another setback when 29th seed Cameron Norrie was eliminated.

Norrie lost to France’s Luca Van Assche in four sets, 6-7(6), 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. The defeat removed another seeded player from the men’s draw and gave Van Assche an opportunity to continue his New York run.

Norrie had previously established himself as one of Britain’s most consistent men’s players, particularly on hard courts.

However, the opening round proved difficult.

After narrowly taking the first-set tiebreak, Norrie was unable to maintain control. Van Assche responded strongly and won the next three sets.

The turnaround was one of the quieter but significant US Open first-round upsets.

Matteo Arnaldi Joins the List

30th seed Matteo Arnaldi was another casualty.

The Italian was defeated by Australia’s James Duckworth, adding another seeded name to the list of early exits.

Arnaldi had become increasingly comfortable on the Grand Slam stage, but his US Open campaign ended before he could establish momentum.

His defeat means four men’s seeds were eliminated during the first round:

• No. 4 Novak Djokovic — lost to Mariano Navone
• No. 10 Arthur Fils — lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas
• No. 29 Cameron Norrie — lost to Luca Van Assche
• No. 30 Matteo Arnaldi — lost to James Duckworth

The list includes players from several different generations, showing that the opening round was not simply a story about veteran decline.

Belinda Bencic Suffers Women’s Draw Shock

The women’s singles draw produced its own major surprise when 12th seed Belinda Bencic was eliminated.

Bencic lost to Yulia Putintseva 4-6, 7-5, 6-3 in a contest that lasted deep into the first round. The defeat was particularly disappointing for Bencic, who arrived in New York as the 12th seed and an Olympic champion.

The Swiss star won the opening set but could not maintain her advantage.

Putintseva fought back in the second set before taking control of the deciding set.

The Kazakh player has a reputation for making matches uncomfortable for higher-ranked opponents, and she once again demonstrated her ability to disrupt the rhythm of a seeded player.

For Bencic, the loss means her 2026 US Open singles campaign ends after just one match.

Barbora Krejcikova Eliminated by Rakhimova

27th seed Barbora Krejcikova was another high-profile women’s casualty.

The Czech former Grand Slam champion was defeated by Kamilla Rakhimova 7-6(4), 6-2.

Krejcikova struggled to convert the opening set into an advantage after the two players remained closely matched through the early stages.

Rakhimova eventually prevailed in the tiebreak before taking control of the second set.

The result was one of the first major shocks of the women’s tournament and gave Rakhimova an important opportunity to progress deeper into the draw.

Krejcikova’s exit is particularly notable because of her experience at Grand Slam tournaments.

However, the 2026 US Open has already shown that experience alone is not enough to guarantee survival.

Maja Chwalinska’s Campaign Ends Early

20th seed Maja Chwalinska also failed to reach the second round.

The Polish player was defeated by American Taylor Townsend, who won 6-2, 6-3.

Townsend controlled the match and prevented Chwalinska from building the kind of momentum required to turn the contest into a prolonged battle.

The victory was especially valuable for the American, who advanced in front of a home crowd.

Chwalinska’s early elimination represents another example of how quickly a seeded player’s tournament can disappear at a Grand Slam.

Sara Bejlek Becomes Another Women’s Seed to Fall

Sara Bejlek, the No. 28 seed, was also eliminated in the opening round.

Bejlek lost to Cristina Bucsa, adding another seeded player to the women’s list of early departures.

The defeat completed a difficult first round for the women’s seeds.

Four seeded women were eliminated:

• No. 12 Belinda Bencic — lost to Yulia Putintseva
• No. 20 Maja Chwalinska — lost to Taylor Townsend
• No. 27 Barbora Krejcikova — lost to Kamilla Rakhimova
• No. 28 Sara Bejlek — lost to Cristina Bucsa

That number matches the four seeded men’s players who also departed.

Eight Seeds Gone After the First Round

The overall picture is striking.

Eight seeded players were eliminated across the men’s and women’s singles draws.

That represents a significant number of early departures, particularly because several of the players involved were ranked inside the top 30.

The complete list is:

Seed	Player	Draw	Defeated by
No. 4	Novak Djokovic	Men	Mariano Navone
No. 10	Arthur Fils	Men	Stefanos Tsitsipas
No. 29	Cameron Norrie	Men	Luca Van Assche
No. 30	Matteo Arnaldi	Men	James Duckworth
No. 12	Belinda Bencic	Women	Yulia Putintseva
No. 20	Maja Chwalinska	Women	Taylor Townsend
No. 27	Barbora Krejcikova	Women	Kamilla Rakhimova
No. 28	Sara Bejlek	Women	Cristina Bucsa

The tournament’s official results confirm the key first-round exits and the winners who advanced.

What the US Open First-Round Upsets Mean

The significance of the US Open first-round upsets goes beyond the number of seeded players eliminated.

Grand Slam draws are designed to protect the highest-ranked players from facing one another during the opening rounds. A seeded player therefore normally has a relatively favorable route compared with an unseeded competitor.

But that advantage disappears once the match begins.

Djokovic’s defeat is the clearest example.

Despite being the fourth seed and one of the greatest players in tennis history, he was unable to overcome Navone’s physical pressure and his own struggles during the match.

The same principle applied to Bencic, Krejcikova, Fils and the other early casualties.

The first round rewards players who can handle pressure immediately.

Top Contenders Still Standing

Despite the number of upsets, many of the tournament favorites successfully survived.

On the women’s side, defending champion Aryna Sabalenka advanced, while Elena Rybakina, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula also remained in contention after their opening matches.

Rybakina, the No. 2 seed, opened with a convincing 6-3, 6-2 victory over American wild card Thea Frodin. Mirra Andreeva also produced a dominant result, defeating Janice Tjen 6-2, 6-2.

Sabalenka, meanwhile, began her title defense with a straight-sets victory over Camila Osorio.

The women’s competition therefore remains extremely open despite the early losses.

The Men’s Draw Is Suddenly Wide Open

The biggest question now concerns the men’s tournament.

With Djokovic eliminated and Sinner absent, the field has lost two of its biggest names before the later rounds.

Alcaraz remains one of the leading candidates after returning from a wrist injury, while Zverev, Auger-Aliassime, Cobolli, Medvedev, Shelton and Fritz are among the other major contenders still fighting for the title.

However, Zverev’s five-set escape against Sonego demonstrated that even the highest seeds are vulnerable.

That could create opportunities for players who entered the tournament without the same expectations.

The longer the tournament continues, the more valuable those opportunities become.

Why Djokovic’s Defeat Will Define the Tournament

Regardless of what happens in the coming rounds, Djokovic’s defeat will remain one of the defining stories of the 2026 US Open.

He had reached the final in New York repeatedly throughout his career and had won the tournament four times.

This time, however, he did not even make it to the second round.

The official US Open noted that Navone’s victory was Djokovic’s first opening-round defeat at a Grand Slam since 2006. It was also the first time Djokovic had lost in the opening round at the US Open during his career.

At 39, Djokovic’s physical condition will inevitably become part of the discussion surrounding his future.

Yet the Serbian has not indicated that he is ready to simply walk away from tennis.

His legacy is already secure.

The bigger question is whether he can continue competing at the level required to challenge for another Grand Slam title.

A Tournament Already Full of Surprises

The 2026 US Open is still in its early stages, but the first round has already delivered several memorable moments.

Djokovic’s defeat was the headline.

Bencic’s loss added another major shock.

Fils, Norrie, Arnaldi, Chwalinska, Krejcikova and Bejlek also joined the list of seeded players heading home earlier than expected.

At the same time, players such as Navone, Rakhimova, Putintseva, Tsitsipas, Van Assche, Duckworth, Townsend and Bucsa have gained valuable momentum.

That is what makes Grand Slam tennis so unpredictable.

Rankings can establish expectations before the match, but they cannot determine what happens once players step onto the court.

With eight seeds already eliminated, the 2026 US Open has delivered an early warning to everyone remaining in the draw: no position is completely safe.

And with the second round now underway, the tournament could be only beginning to reveal its biggest surprises.