Novak Djokovic is OUT of the US Open in the first round after a five-set loss to Mariano Navone.

But is this the end for Novak, or simply the beginning of a very different final chapter?

Chris goes solo to unpack what Djokovic’s shock exit means for the 39-year-old, why retirement might still be a long way off, and whether his focus now shifts away from Grand Slams towards selected tournaments, records and a potential final run at the 2028 Olympics.

Also on the episode:

Stefanos Tsitsipas finally breaks his 0-5 record against Arthur Fils, coming from a set down and denying Fils the chance to go two sets to love up. After all the hype around Fils entering New York, was Tsitsipas’ recent improvement overlooked?

Elsewhere, Carlos Alcaraz cruises through his opener, Andrey Rublev and Frances Tiafoe survive five-set scares, while Alexei Popyrin and James Duckworth lead the Australian charge.

Plus, Draw Watch looks ahead to Ben Shelton v Hubert Hurkacz and Daniel Mérida v Andrey Rublev.

On the women’s side, Sabalenka, Swiatek, Pegula and Anisimova all make comfortable starts, while Maya Joint leads a promising group of Australians into the next round.

Talkn Tennis Podcast covering all the biggest stories from the 2026 US Open.

You gotta earn your serves.

The 2026 US Open women’s draw is wide open, with Aryna Sabalenka chasing a third straight title in New York and a deep group of contenders looking ready to stop her.

In this episode, Chris and Adam break down all four quarters of the women’s draw and look at the biggest storylines heading into the final Grand Slam of the year.

We discuss:

• Sabalenka’s chances of winning a third consecutive US Open
• Whether her recent form is good enough to survive a tricky top quarter
• Linda Noskova’s chances of continuing her rise
• Jessica Pegula’s pathway through a very manageable section
• Coco Gauff’s momentum after Cincinnati
• Mirra Andreeva, Amanda Anisimova, Sara Bejlek and Alexandra Eala as dangerous names in quarter three
• Iga Swiatek’s return to form
• Elena Rybakina’s injury question
• The loaded final quarter featuring Swiatek, Rybakina, Osaka, Keys and Bencic
• Which player we trust most to come through each quarter
• Sabalenka versus the field

With Gauff, Swiatek, Pegula and Rybakina all bringing different strengths into New York, and a younger generation continuing to push through, the women’s tournament looks extremely difficult to predict.

Follow the Talkn Tennis Podcast on Spotify and X for US Open reactions, previews and coverage throughout the tournament.

You gotta earn your serves.

The 2026 US Open is here, and the men’s draw suddenly feels wide open.

With Jannik Sinner out, Carlos Alcaraz returning after more than four months away, Alexander Zverev installed as the No. 1 seed, and Novak Djokovic still chasing Grand Slam No. 25, there are major questions hanging over almost every favourite.

In this episode, we break down:

• Why Alcaraz’s lack of match play could make him vulnerable early
• Whether Zverev should actually be considered the tournament favourite
• Djokovic’s chances of surviving seven best-of-five matches at 39
• The most dangerous sections of the draw
• Early upset candidates including Alcaraz, Tien, Rublev and Shelton
• Dark horses including Arthur Fils, Brandon Nakashima and Rafael Jodar
• Whether this could finally be the year an American man wins the US Open
• The chances of Shelton, Fritz, Tiafoe and Nakashima
• Our picks for who goes deep and who could crash out early

With Sinner missing and several players arriving in strong North American hard-court form, this could be one of the most unpredictable men’s US Opens in years.

Follow the Talkn Tennis Podcast on Spotify and X for match reactions, previews and plenty more throughout the tournament.

You gotta earn your serves.