Novak Djokovic’s stay at the Cincinnati Open was a short one. It also might be his last.
The 24-time major champion fell to Thiago Agustin Tirante 2-6 6-4 6-4 on Saturday in a match that took two hours, 44 minutes in hot and humid conditions.
A 25-year-old from Argentina, Tirante is ranked No.50 in the world. Djokovic — a three-time Cincinnati champion and No. 5 in the rankings — was playing for the first time since his loss to top-ranked Jannik Sinner in the semifinals at Wimbledon.
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“Congrats to my opponent,” Djokovic said in Cincinnati.
“It was not an enjoyable match for me, for sure. The way I felt. Not the first and I guess not the last time, but it is what it is.”
Up next for Djokovic is the U.S. Open, which starts August 30 in New York.
Djokovic appeared to struggle physically in the heat and had his 10-match winning streak in Cincinnati snapped.
The 39-year-old told reporters that an unspecified health condition made it difficult for him to play in hot and humid weather.
“It’s just a condition that I have, health-wise, that has been bothering me for the past couple of years,” Djokovic said.
“A lot of issues, especially when it is humid and it is hot. I did anticipate it (would be humid), but there are all these things, like nerves and everything involved that make it worse, and that’s what happened.”
Djokovic has had plenty of success in Cincinnati, with a 45-13 record and titles in 2018, 2020 and 2023. But he wasn’t sure he would return.
“I certainly hope so, but it looks more likely not, unfortunately,” Djokovic said.
“But let’s see what the future brings.”
Djokovic saved 13 of the 15 break points he faced. Tirante broke Djokovic’s serve in the ninth game of the final set and then served it out.
“I think this is the best win of my career,” Tirante said.
“I think I really did a good job inside the court. I managed very well the nerves of playing against a legend like Novak.”
The Australian men’s assault on the Cincinnati Open continued with gusto thanks to Alex de Minaur and Rinky Hijikata.
A day after James Duckworth, Adam Walton and Chris O’Connell scored first-round wins, but Thanasi Kokkinakis was beaten, de Minaur was pushed to his limits at the final Masters 1000 event before the US Open.
Having dropped the first set in just 26 minutes, fifth seed de Minaur, who received an opening-round bye, responded to defeat Quentin Halys 1-6 6-3 7-6 (7-4).
The Frenchman had won their only previous meeting, a Miami Masters hard-court clash, back in 2023.
De Minaur lost his opening two service games of the match, but was not broken again en route to setting up a round-of-32 clash with Brit Arthur Fery, who saw off Duckworth, 6-4 2-6 7-6 (7-4) in a tick over two-and-a-half hours.
It will be the first clash on tour between de Minaur and the 32nd-seeded French-born Fery.
Earlier on Saturday (Sunday AEST), 25-year-old wildcard Hijikata beat 19th seed Luciano Darderi, of Italy, 6-4 6-2 to set up his last-32 match with 14th seed Jakub Mensik.
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