Djokovic collapses in Cincinnati heat, falls to world No. 50 Tirante in second round
Novak Djokovic suffered a shock second-round exit at the Cincinnati Open, losing 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 to Argentina's Thiago Tirante after struggling with heat and humidity in Ohio.
Match overview
Novak Djokovic was eliminated in his opening match at the Cincinnati Open on Saturday 15 August, falling to Argentina's Thiago Agustin Tirante 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in the second round. The match lasted 2 hours and 44 minutes. Djokovic, seeded third and ranked world No. 5, had received a first-round bye, making this his first competitive appearance since losing to Jannik Sinner in the Wimbledon semi-finals in July. The 39-year-old Serbian had skipped the Montreal Masters 1000 two weeks earlier. The Cincinnati Open is an ATP Masters 1000 event on hard court with a prize purse of $9,415,725. Djokovic had announced his return to Cincinnati with great enthusiasm, saying he felt well for the first time in a while after a physically demanding Wimbledon. He had also told reporters before the match that he was in excellent physical condition.
- Djokovic Set 1
- 6 games won
- Tirante Set 1
- 2 games won
- Djokovic Set 2
- 4 games won
- Tirante Set 2
- 6 games won
- Djokovic Set 3
- 4 games won
- Tirante Set 3
- 6 games won
How the match unfolded
Djokovic started strongly, breaking at 4-2 in the first set and saving two break-back points in the following game before taking the set 6-2. The turning point came in the second set. At 1-1, the players contested an 18-minute 40-second game in which Tirante earned four break points without converting any. Djokovic then took a medical timeout at 2-1. A physio and a doctor both provided on-court assistance. The Serbian dropped to his hands and knees and appeared to vomit twice during the set.
- Djokovic breaks at 4-2, saves two break-back points, wins set 6-2
- 18-minute 40-second game; Tirante earns four break points without converting
- Djokovic takes medical timeout; physio and doctor attend on court
- Tirante wins set 6-4; both players return to dressing rooms
- Djokovic drops serve
- Tirante wins third set 6-4; match lasts 2 hours 44 minutes
Both players returned to the dressing rooms after the second set, which Tirante won 6-4. When play resumed, Djokovic remained visibly diminished and Tirante gradually took control of the proceedings. Djokovic dropped serve in the ninth game of the third set, and Tirante served out the match to win 6-4. The defeat marks the first time Djokovic has failed to reach at least the last 32 of the Cincinnati tournament since his debut in the event in 2005.
Conditions and Tirante's performance
The heat in Cincinnati measured 29°C with 72% humidity, conditions that began to weigh on Djokovic as the match progressed. Tirante, 25 years old and ranked 50th in the world, relied on his serve and powerful groundstrokes throughout the contest. He hit 13 aces and 40 winners, including a forehand clocked at 193 km/h. The Argentine gradually gained the upper hand as Djokovic's physical state deteriorated, using his powerful shots to maintain pressure even when the Serbian was still competing for points.
This is the best win of my career. I managed the nerves of playing a legend like Novak. It was all so much pressure.
What comes next
Tirante advances to the round of 16, where he will face Spain's Martin Landaluce, ranked ATP 67. Djokovic, a three-time Cincinnati champion who won the tournament in 2018, 2020 and 2023, exits early. The US Open begins in approximately two weeks on the hard courts of New York, where Djokovic will pursue his 25th Grand Slam title. Whether he can be competitive at Flushing Meadows will depend on his physical condition, with the loss in Cincinnati adding to uncertainty over his readiness for the final Grand Slam of the season.
