Updated

Updated · GOAL English · Aug 16

Djokovic Falls in Cincinnati Opener, Raising US Open Doubts After 2019 First Loss There

Updated

Updated · GOAL English · Aug 16

Djokovic Falls in Cincinnati Opener, Raising US Open Doubts After 2019 First Loss There

Q: After hinting he may never return, was this Novak Djokovic’s final match in Cincinnati?

It may well have been, but Djokovic did not say definitively that it was his last match in Cincinnati. After losing 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Thiago Agustín Tirante, Djokovic was asked if he expected to return and replied: “I certainly hope so, but it looks more likely not, unfortunately. But let’s see what the future brings.” That is the clearest indication that he believes a return is unlikely, especially given that he is 39 and was physically compromised in the match. His comments were tied to a health problem he said has bothered him for the past couple of years and gets worse in hot, humid conditions. In Cincinnati, he visibly struggled, took a medical timeout and appeared ill on court. He said nerves can also aggravate the condition. Those factors add weight to the idea that future appearances there are uncertain. At the same time, Djokovic stopped short of announcing any retirement from the event or from tennis. He said he hoped to come back, leaving the door open. So the most accurate reading is that this was possibly his final Cincinnati match, but not officially confirmed as such. If he does not return, it would end a strong Cincinnati career: a 45-13 record and three titles, in 2018, 2020 and 2023.

3 articles · Updated · GOAL English · Aug 16

Thiago Tirante beat Novak Djokovic 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the Serbian's first Cincinnati match, ending a run without defeat at the event since 2019.
A 16-minute game early in the second set marked Djokovic's physical drop-off; after calling the medical team, he failed to win another point on return in that set.
Djokovic said a long-running health problem worsens in extreme heat and humidity, and added that match pressure and nerves made the episode harder to manage.
The loss leaves Djokovic heading to the US Open without an official hard-court match, mirroring his sparse buildup before Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Djokovic also suggested he may not return to Cincinnati, saying he hopes to come back but that it currently looks unlikely.