A Brutal Afternoon in Ohio
Novak Djokovic's return to competitive tennis after Wimbledon lasted just one match, as Argentine Thiago Agustin Tirante delivered the upset of the Cincinnati Open, beating the 24-time Grand Slam champion 2-6, 6-4, 6-4 in a grueling two-hour-and-45-minute contest. The 39-year-old Djokovic, seeded third in the draw, appeared visibly distressed throughout the second and third sets, dropping to his hands and knees at several points and appearing to vomit on court. After an exhausting 18-minute third game in the second set that included nine deuces and four break points saved, Djokovic called for a medical timeout and was attended by both a physio and a doctor. Both players actually left the court between sets before resuming.
Djokovic gestured to his coaching box, seemingly puzzled by his physical struggles. He later explained that heat and humidity have increasingly affected him over the past couple of years due to an ongoing health condition, and that nerves and match intensity only compound the problem.
Tirante Savors a Career-Defining Moment
For Tirante, ranked 50th in the world, the victory is by far the biggest of his career. He converted his fourth break point opportunity at 4-4 in the deciding set and served out the match, sending the Argentine into the third round. "I managed very well the nerves of playing against a legend," Tirante said afterward, describing the win as the highlight of his professional life.
Djokovic, who had never previously lost before the last 32 in Cincinnati since his debut in the tournament in 2005, also left the door open on whether he would return to the event in future, saying it looks "more likely not" that he will compete there again. With the US Open approaching, this defeat adds uncertainty around his preparation. TennisDraw users had Djokovic penciled deep into the Cincinnati bracket, making this second-round exit one of the app's biggest busted predictions of the summer.
