Novak Djokovic's journey at the Cincinnati Open was very short, and it could also be his last time at this tournament.
On the morning of August 16 (Vietnam time), the player with 24 Grand Slam titles lost to Thiago Agustin Tirante 6-2, 4-6, 4-6 in a match lasting 2 hours and 44 minutes in hot and humid weather.
Tirante, a 25-year-old Argentine player, is currently ranked 50th in the world. Meanwhile, Djokovic - who has been 3 times Cincinnati champion and is currently 5th in the world - played his first match since losing in the Wimbledon semi-finals to world No. 1 Jannik Sinner.
The Serbian player has never been eliminated earlier than round 32 at the tournament in Ohio since his first participation in 2005.
Djokovic showed a clear decline in fitness in harsh weather conditions, thereby breaking his 10-match winning streak in Cincinnati. The 39-year-old tennis player shared that an unspecified health problem caused him many difficulties when playing in hot and humid weather conditions.
It's just a health condition that has been bothering me for the past few years," Djokovic said, "There are many problems arising, especially when it's hot and humid. I anticipated it, but there are many other factors such as stressful anxiety that make things worse, and that's what happened.
Djokovic has made many marks in Cincinnati with a record of 45 wins - 13 losses and championships in 2018, 2020 and 2023. However, he is not sure whether he will return to this tournament again.
I certainly hope so, but it seems likely not, it's a pity," Djokovic added, "But let's wait and see what the future brings.
In this match, Djokovic successfully saved 13 out of a total of 15 break-points faced. Tirante broke Djokovic's service game in the 9th game of the decisive set before completing the match on his serve.
I think this is the biggest victory in my career," Tirante shared, "I believe I played very well on the field and successfully controlled the psychological tension when facing a legend like Novak.
In 2026, Djokovic participated in 3/7 Masters 1000 tournaments, in which he reached the quarterfinals at Indian Wells, stopping in the 2nd round in Rome and Cincinnati. He did not participate in events in Miami, Monte-Carlo, Madrid and Montreal.
Djokovic's next tournament will be the US Open, which kicks off on August 30 in New York.
In the women's singles, Alexandra Eala of the Philippines continued her impressive streak with a victory over Elena-Gabriela Ruse - who lost the first set and had to stop playing in set 2 due to an ankle injury.
Eala, currently ranked 20th in the world, just won her first WTA singles title in Washington earlier this month and has won 8 out of 9 recent matches.
At the same time, American player Jessica Pegula defeated Simona Waltert 6-3, 6-2, raising her hardcourt record in 2026 to 25-6.
Pegula is currently ranked 3rd in the world and won the championship in Cincinnati in 2024.
