Novak Djokovic opens his U.S. Open run Sunday night in Queens against Mariano Davone, with first serve set for 7 p.m. ET. It is Djokovic’s first match of the tournament and the first real test in a campaign built around another major title chase.
For viewers, the timing is simple: will carry the match on TV, with streaming available on-demand. Djokovic is trying to add a fifth U.S. Open title to his résumé and move closer to a record 25th Grand Slam crown, while also seeking his first tournament win of the 2026 season.
Davone brings enough form to make the draw matter. The 25-year-old from Argentina enters the weekend ranked No. 49 in the ATP and has gone 21-19 in singles this season, with a win at the Tiriac Oen in April and a finals appearance at the Gonet Geneva Open in May. That profile is why his name is attached to Djokovic’s opener, not just as a placeholder opponent but as a player with a ranking and results that can shape a match.
Djokovic has not reached this point without a stumble. He last played in the Cincinnati Open and was upset by Thiago Agustin Tirante in the second round, a result that leaves this match carrying more weight than a routine opening round. He is also still looking for his first major tourney win since the U.S. Open in 2023, so Sunday night is about more than simply getting through round one.
The next step is straightforward and unforgiving: Djokovic either resets his season in Queens or leaves the U.S. Open with the same question hanging over him that followed Cincinnati. For a player chasing history, there is no soft start.
